College Times

Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Calendar

Media Credit: Ryan Ruiz

Southwest Brewfest
Tempe Marketplace
2000 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe
Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8
Noon to 6 p.m.
$35
($10 off coupon available with purchase at Tops Liquor)

Amber ale
They are: Amber ales are typically beers that are reddish in color. Ambers ales are often sweeter than other ales as a result of brewers bring the malts to the forefront. Some ambers also have hints of fruit. Ambers also tend to linger on the tongue longer than other beers. Alcohol contents can range from about 4.5 to 7 percent, with most falling in the 5.5 range.

Fat Tire
Brewed in: Fort Collins, Colorado ABV: 5.0 percent
Perhaps the most popular amber ale west of the Mississippi, Fat Tire has all the signature trademarks of the style. A smooth front and a sweetness that lingers on the tongue after the beer is swallowed.

Others available at Brewfest:
Alaskan Amber
Flying Dog Old Scratch
Leinie's Classic Amber


Black ales
They are: Black ales are a Belgian style of beer that typically feature a very dark color, and complicated blend of flavors. They're often described as heavy - meaning the taster is flooded with many intense deep flavors that include yeast, spices and malts. The typically have thick heads. Black ales are almost never bitter.

1554
Brewed in: Fort Collins, Colorado ABV: 5.5 percent
A heavy black beer that has hints of toffee, molasses and brown sugar on the back end. Almost cola-ish in color. Fans of porters and stouts should sample; lager lovers might find this off-putting

Others available at SW Brewfest:
The Bruery Black Orchard

Cream Ale
They are: American cream ales often start off being brewed in the ale style, but often have a lager beer or yeast added to them to create cream ales' unique character. Typically a smooth drinking beer, with only a little bit of the bitterness associated with hops. They have light colors and medium heads. They typically have alcohol contents in the 5 percent range.

Anderson Valley Summer Solstice
Brewed in: Boonville,California ABV: 5.6 percent
The only cream ale at Southwest Brewfest is not necessarily the best example of the style. It features the light color and medium head of the style; but this one tends to be a little sweeter than most.

ESB
They are: With ESBs - which stands for Extra Special or Extra Strong Bitters - the style begins to move into a category preferred more by stronger beer lovers. These beers tend to be dark in color and equally balanced, containing both a noticeable alcohol flavor and the presence of hops' bitter trademarks. Still, ESBs are typically not very bitter; they're more known for their good balance of flavors. This makes ESBs a good introduction for somebody seeking to ease in to stronger beers. Alcohol contents in the 5.7-6.3 percent range are common.

2 Below Winter Ale
Brewed in: Fort Collins, Colorado ABV: 6.6 percent
A surprisingly strong bitter that is a bit more complex in its flavor than other ESBs. This packs a crisp initial, hoppy taste with complex malty flavors on the backend. Again, not exactly the best representation of the style, but ESBs are in short supply at SW Brewfest.

Others available at SW Brewfest:
Left Hand Sawtooth

Fruit beers
They are: Beers fermented at the same time as a fruit. Fruit beers come in any number of varieties including peach, strawberry, raspberry and apple. They tend to be sweeter than most beers and very drinkable. Alcohol content can range from 4.5 to 6.5 percent or higher.

Great Divide Wild Raspberry
Brewed in: Denver, Colorado ABV: 5.6 percent
A real treat to find at Southwest Brewfest, especially because this is considered to be a very respectable fruit beer, brewed almost in the pale-ale style and holding just a slight infusion of raspberry taste.

Others available at SW Brewfest:
Michelob Ultra Tuscan Orange
Michelob Ultra Pomegranate
Mikes Hard Lemonade

India Pale Ale
They are: The emerging big poppa of American beers, the American India Pale Ale - not to be confused with English India Pale Ales - are explosive, massively flavorful beers that feature lots of hoppiness both in the front and in the aftertaste. Lots of people also get citrus flavors here.

Odell IPA
Brewed in: Fort Collins, Colorado ABV: 7.0 percent
Big-time IPA that explodes with hoppiness right from the get-go. Very fragrant beer that enhances the tasting experience. Lemon, orange and other citrus flavors explode upfront. Hops linger on the tongue long after the finish.

Widmer Brrr
Brewed in: Portland, Oregon ABV: 7.2 percent
Though not an IPA, this "winter warmer" style of beer features many of the same characteristics of a true IPA. In this one you'll have a lot of citrus and almost pine flavoring. Very crisp.

Others available at SW Brewfest:
Redhook Longhammer
Widmer Broken Halo
Anderson Valley Hop Ottin
Avery IPA
Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye
Bear Republic Racer 5
Port Old Viscosity (Strong Ale)
SKA Modus Hoperandi
Speakeasy Big Daddy
Winter Bourbon Cask Ale

Hefeweizen
They are: A traditional unfiltered beer from southern Germany. Despite their cloudy appearance - the result of not filtering the beer - they tend to be moderate in flavor and very drinkable. Think of this as a next-step beer for those whose only exposure to beer has been Bud and Bud Light. Often served in the US with a lemon.

Gordon Biersch Hefeweizen
Brewed in: Fort Collins, Colorado ABV: 5.2 percent
A strong example of the hefeweizen style of beer - it's got all the trademarks: medium head, cloudy but bright yellow color, citrus and banana smell and taste and a crisp finish.


Lager
They are: The classic American style beer. Budweiser, Bud Light and even beers like Asahi and Kirin (sake bombers, anyone?) are all lagers. But the category is actually quite complex, featuring numerous styles include bock, rice and dunkel.

Peroni
Brewed in: Italy ABV: 4.7 percent
Mass produced Italian lager is similar in character to many mass-produced American lagers, but it retains a slightly skunky - or what some sulfuric taste - notable in Euro lagers.

Negra Modelo (Dunkel)
Brewed in: Mexico ABV: 5.4 percent
One of the more unique Mexican lagers. The brewers claim this is a German dunkel-style beer, though its nowhere near as heavy or flavorful as a true dunkel. More flavorful than a Corona or Pacifico.

Shiner (Bock)
Brewed in: Shiner, Texas ABV: 4.4 percent
Low alcohol bock-style beer that doesn't pack the same flavor punch. It starts off very strong but finishes sort of weak, like the flavors want to jump out, but are held back by weak brewing. Very drinkable, though.

Asahi (Rice)
Brewed in: Japan ABV: 5.0 percent
Clean, crisp mass-produced Japanese beer most well-known by Americans for playing the beer mixer for sake-bombers. Very east to drink and with its decent alcohol punch, fairly intoxicating.

Others available at SW Brewfest:
Dos Equis Amber
Dos Equis Lager
MGD 64
Modelo Especial Draft
Moosehead
Gordon Biersch Blonde Bock
Chang Beer
Iron City
Marathon
Michelob Ultra Cactus Lime
Redhook Slim Chance
SKA True Blonde

Pale Ale
They are: Probably the most popular style of craft American beer. They tend to be exceptionally flavorful with a very clean, crisp taste powered primarily by hops. Some pale ales have a sweet aftertaste that lingers on the tongue, while others finish with a powerful snap.

Sierra Nevada
Brewed in: Chico, California ABV: 5.6 percent
One of the most popular craft pale ales on the market, it also remains one of the greats. It starts off with a explosive hop and citrus flavor and finishes bitter on the back end. A great fall and winter beer and the perfect introduction to the pale ale style.

Others available at SW Brewfest:
Flying Dog Classic Pale
Blue Moon Full Moon
Cucapa Chupacabras
Eel River Pale Ale
Firestone Pale 31
Firestone Union Jack
Great Divide Denver Pale
Firestone DBA
Odell 5 Barrel
Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale
Scape Goat
Redhook Winterhook
SKA Euphoria
Speakeasy Untouchable
Widmer Drifter
Lost Abbey Devotion
Lost Abbey Red Barn

Pilsner
They are: Traditional European style lagers, they typically taste very little like American lagers. Pilsners tend to be light in color, but hoppy on the finish. They mimic American pales in that they can be bitter and citrusy, too.

North Coast Scrimshaw
Brewed in: Fort Bragg, California ABV: 4.4 percent
A lighter tasting pilsner than some of the more popular brands sold in the US, including the Czech-style Pilsner Urquell. Nice and balanced up front with a slightly sweet finish.

Others available at SW Brewfest:
Oskar Blues Mama's Li Yella Pils

Porters
They are: Darker, thicker beers that have evolved in recent years to take on a number of flavors including chocolate, hot peppers or in the case of one of the beers offered at SWB, vanilla. Think good, thick beer on a cold winter's night.

Breckenridge Vanilla Porter
Brewed in: Breckenridge, Colorado ABV: 4.7 percent
Big time flavorful winter beer. It's almost easy to imagine this beer as vanilla flavored roasted coffee with some booze added for good measure. Balanced, nice head. Not for chugging, for enjoying.

Others available at SW Brewfest:
Port Wipeout

Scottish Ale
They are: Unlike pale ales, Scottish ales tend to be a bit more reddish in color, a result of the lengthier cooking time they undergo. They also feature a signature malty sweetness in the aftertaste, as any drinker a Four Peaks Kiltlifter knows.

Odell 90 Schilling
Brewed in: Fort Collins, Colorado ABV: 5.5 percent
Do yourself a favor and try some of the Odell beers, a brand that is quickly emerging as a favorite of beer lovers across the West. This beer features a complicated mix of flavors that balance out very nicely. Each sip is enjoyable.

Others available at SW Brewfest:
Oskar Blues Old Chub

Steam Beers
They are: Specialized beer brewed with yeast that ferments at a warmer temperature. This nearly California-specific style is typically considered a medium-body beer with a nice mix of maltiness and hops.

Anchor Steam
Brewed in: San Francisco, California ABV: 4.9 percent
This San Francisco originally is typically among the pricier beers at the liquor store, but well worth it. Bitter, malt and citrus flavors all mingle together to create a unique beer.

Stouts
They are: Dark beers created by the use of roasted barley. These typically have deep flavoring and are very thick, complex beers

Left Hand Milk Stout
Brewed in: Longmont, Colorado ABV: 5.2 percent
A very unique beer that is not always easy to find in the Phoenix area. Many have compared this beer to a roasted, fermented chocolate milk. Sweet front, nice lingering finish.

Red/Brown Ales
They are: European-influenced beers that tend to be far more maltier than pale ales, leaving a sweet (red) or nutty (brown) finish. These are generally well-balanced, mid-range alcohol beers that offer drinkability with their character and kick.

Big Sky Moose Drool
Brewed in: Missoula, Montana ABV: 5.1 percent
Middle-brown color with a nice roasted, nutty finish. This beer smells as good as it tastes, a characteristic of many of the Big Sky beers.

Coronado Mermaid's Red
Brewed in: Fort Collins, Colorado ABV: 5.7 percent
Big-headed beer that manages to combine the malty, nutty flavors of a good red with a hoppy backbone. Yum.

Others available at SW Brewfest:
Killians
Newcastle
Anderson Valley Boont Amber
Cucapa Obscura
Los Coast Downtown Brown
North Coast Red Seal
SKA Pinstripe Red

Tripel
They are: Boom! Super explosive high-alcohol content, Belgian style beers created by using triple the amount of malt as a standard Belgian beer. Because of the complex flavors and light color, rooks don't often realize the alcoholic bang these beers contain.

The Bruery Tradewinds Tripel
Brewed in: Placentia, California ABV: 8.1 percent
Very unique tripel with noticeable hints of basil. This makes it unique among its style, but the big flavor and smell and the citrusy bite make it a nice entrant in its field.

White/Wheat beers
They are: Unfiltered wheat beers, which makes them similar to hefeweizens. They differ, primarily, because these beers are almost always spiced, usually with citrus and herbs.

Blue Moon
Brewed in: Golden, Colorado ABV: 5.4 percent
Probably the most popular Belgian White in the US market, you'll see this served in bars a lot with an orange - which is odd, really, because it offsets the existing orange flavor already included.

Shock Top
Brewed in: St. Louis, Missouri ABV: 5.2 percent
Straight forward America wheat beer. This is a good place to start if you want an introduction to the category. From there, venture to Odell Easy Street or Lost Coast Great White.

Others available at SW Brewfest:
Odell Easy Street Wheat
Alaskan White
Avery White Rascal
Banquet
Big Sky Trout Slayer
Breckenridge Agave Wheat
Bud Light Golden Wheat
Lost Coast Great White
Mothership

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