Reward? Ale Diablo from Steamworks

A couple weeks ago, I picked up a bomber of one of my favorite fall beers, Ale Diablo from Steamworks in Durango, Colorado. I stuck in in the 'fridge, figuring I'd save it for a special occasion.

Now, I am a man of very low expectations. Seeing me work hard enough to get the next Rocky Mountain Brewing News Hop Tips finished before deadline is good enough for reward time in my book. So, I grabbed the bomber, popped its champagne cork top, and poured myself a pint.

Ale Diablo is a one of those brews that I really look forward to drinking. There is a wicked, yellow eyed, red faced devil on the label (I give bonus points for good label art) and it pours bright golden, an almost hefeweizen color, keeping true to its American Blonde Ale roots.

Ah, but the taste is what I like best. Ale Diablo has a lot more going on in its yellow-ness than most of the other American Blonde Ales. There is plenty of fruity apples and citrus and cloves. There is a nice malty flavor in the background and the earthy hops run from first sip to swallow. It's almost like a Belgian. The flavors are there, but it's lighter. Not as bold as the Belgians we love so much.

I got it! Ale Diablo is a Belgian Lite. It's much more flavorful than most American Blonde Ales, but not as bold and complex as the Belgians.

Oh yea, respect the breath of this beer. You will feel it when you take a quaff. It's not an overpowering taste of alcohol, just a warning that this brew carries a very respectable 8.5% ABV.

The Downside? Availability. Ale Diablo from Steamworks is one of their limited releases and you only find it in the fall. So, buy it when you see it. Tomorrow could be too late.

By the way, the next issue of the Rocky Mountain Brewing News should be showing up at your favorite brew spot in a week or so...and, watch out for the email version of Hop Tips, covering everything beery for the last two weeks of November here in the Rocky Mountain West.

Not a subscriber? Drop me your email and you will be.

Cheers!

Steamworks' Steam Engine Lager. Let's Give it a Ride

According to Rob Willey of Details Magazine, Steamworks' Steam Engine Lager is a really excellent brew. As a matter of fact, Steam Engine is at the very top of his "excellent canned beer list."

He writes..."Yes, it tastes similar to Sam Adams, but it's preferable by a long shot, with a sweetness and a peppery tang."

The can is just as bold, promising that Steam Engine Lager is "arguably the best American style amber lager in the world."

This is all very heady stuff, so I popped a top of Steam Engine Lager and gave it a ride.

I have to admit, I was very impressed with its appearance. Steam Engine Lager poured crystal clear with a warm, deep coppery color. The head was tan-ish white, but it wasn't long before it dissolved into the brew. It always bothers me when a brew's head does that.

The taste? Well, I thought something was missing here. Yes, Steam Engine is a malty brew, just like an American Amber should be. It is malty enough to be called "Biscuit" if it was a horse. But, here is the deal. When a brew bills itself as "the best American amber lager in the world" and when some magazine writer sticks it on the very top of his "excellent canned beer list," the beer should bring something more than just its bready malt flavor to the table.

It didn't.

Steam Engine is a very drinkable, middle of the road American amber lager. It is a malt lover's dream. However, Steam Engine would not lead my "excellent canned beer list." It is good, but good isn't good enough to be most excellent when you are talking about being the best in the world.

Sorry guys.

Here is Details Magazine's excellent canned beer list.
1. Steamworks Steam Engine Lager--Colorado
2. Caldera Ashland Amber--Oregon
3. Oskar Blues Ten Fidy Imperial Stout--Colorado
4. 21st Amendment Brew Free! or Die IPA--California
5. Sly Fox Pikeland Pils--Pennsylvania
6. Butternuts Heinnieweisse Weissebier--New York
7. New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale--Colorado

Agree? What would be your top 7 canned beers?

By the way, I was also going to review Steamworks' Ale Diablo today. I wandered on down to Lukas Liquors in the Denver Tec Center to pick up a bottle. They didn't have it in stock. So, I trucked over to Davidson Liquors. They didn't have it either, but big beer kudos to the Davdson beer guy who offered to call the Steamworks' rep. (That's good customer service gang!) The rep said it was just hitting the Denver market, so watch for old Ale Diablo to start showing up next week.

Yum!