Central Arizona (Phoenix) Beer Tasting Group

Discussion in 'Southwest' started by AAlchemist, Aug 14, 2012.

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  1. AAlchemist

    AAlchemist Initiate (0) Aug 12, 2012 Arizona

    Hello,

    I've been in Phoenix for a couple of months and I was hoping to find a good Beer Group that gets together every so often to open a couple of bottles/cans of great beer and compare/Comment on each beer. I skimmed the forums for awhile before i finally decided to just start my own thread. I really love beer and over the last couple years i've traveled to about 100 Different Breweries and i'm always looking to try and new 12oz, 375ml, 22oz, 750ml...well you get the point.

    Beers that i've grown to prefer for their style are bourbon Barrel Aged, IPA's, American Wilds (sours...although i still have a long way to go) and Porters. However i will try just about any beer that is reccomended and look forward to experiencing something new that i haven't tried before (perhaps even brew beer on occassions?)

    Does anyone Participate in a Group like this or be willing to Join a Group like this in the Central Arizona Area?

    ~AAlchemist
     
    #1 AAlchemist, Aug 14, 2012
  2. aandresen

    aandresen Initiate (0) Sep 21, 2009 Arizona
    Trader

    Hey, I am interested. Luwak was looking to do a tasting so he may as well. That said, any get together that includes sours is one I will be unable to attend.
     
    #2 aandresen, Aug 14, 2012
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  3. Jefeipa

    Jefeipa Initiate (0) May 6, 2009 Arizona

    There was an amazing just on Saturday. If you're on Facebook you should join Arizona Craft Beer Lovers. That is how that tasting got setup. I'm down for a tasting later this month.
     
    #3 Jefeipa, Aug 14, 2012
  4. AAlchemist

    AAlchemist Initiate (0) Aug 12, 2012 Arizona

    @aandresen It's nice to see a fellow Beer enthusiest interested in Phoneix to do some beer tasting. I think it would be ideal to get maybe 6-8 people with each of us bringing a bottle to try. As for Sours I understand it's not for everyone and it's something i've had to try multiple times before i started to get an appreciation for them.

    @jefeipa I'm sorry to hear i missed one this Saturday. I would have loved to join. Did you Attend? Find anything new you loved? I will certainly look up the AZ Craft Beer Lovers on Facebook

    AAngel
     
    #4 AAlchemist, Aug 14, 2012
  5. NitroGen

    NitroGen Zealot (701) Sep 29, 2007 Arizona

    Went to a tasting on Saturday and it may be the one mentioned above. It was the best one I have ever attended. While some people brought , the vast majority were from the Host's cellar.

    3 Floyds Baller Stout
    50/50 Eclipse 4 Roses 2010 & 2011
    50/50 Eclipse Elijah Craig 18
    50/50 Eclipse Rittenhouse Rye 2011
    Alaskan Smoked Porter 2008
    Alesmith Barrel Aged Wee Heavy 2009
    Alesmith Decadence Barrel Aged 2008
    Alpine Odin’s Raven
    Avery White Rascal
    Beatification Batch 3
    Beatification Batch 5x2
    Bell’s Hopslam
    Big Sky Olde Bluehair
    BJ’s Whiskey Barrel Stout
    Bootlegger’s Black Phoenix
    Breckenridge 20th Anniversary
    Brooklyn The Companion
    Bruery Black Tuesday 2011
    Bruery Melange 3 2010
    Bruery Mother Funker
    Bruery Tart of Darkness 2011 and 2012
    Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus
    Cantillon St Lamvinus 2011
    Cascade Blueberry 2011
    Cigar City 110K+OT Batch #5
    Cigar City Bourbon Barrel Aged Big Sound (09)
    Cigar City Bourbon Barrel Aged Bolita Brown (10)
    Cigar City Cucumber Saison
    Cigar City Dirac
    Cigar City Hunaphu’s Imperial Stout (2012)
    Cigar City Ligero
    Cisco Brewers Winter Woods
    Crooked Stave Blackberry Petite Sour
    Crooked Stave Petite Sour (regular version)
    Cuvee van de Keizer - Rood (2008)
    Deschutes Black Butte XX
    Deschutes Black Butte XXIII
    DFH Raison D’Extra (2007)
    DFH/Sierra Nevada Life & Limb
    Exit 13 - Chocolate Stout
    Firestone Walker Anniversary 10-15
    Founders Frangelic Mountain Brown
    Grand Teton Snarling Badger
    Hangar 24 Polycot
    Heady Topper
    Heretic Shallow Grave
    Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged Boris
    Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged Boris Royale (canadian whiskey barrels)
    Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged Outta Kilter Scotch Red
    Hoppin Frog BORIS Oatmeal Stout
    Hoppin Frog DORIS (double boris)
    Hoppin Frog Sweet Evil BBW
    Horals Oude Geuze Mega Blend
    Jackie O’s Cherry Wood Ya Honey
    Jackie O’s Hocking Triple
    Jollly Pumpkin Cinco Anos
    Lost Abbey Bourbon Angels Share 2009
    Lost Abbey Cuvee de Tomme 2010
    Lost Abbey Framboise de Amorosa 2010
    Mikkeller Black Tie
    Nebraska Brewing Co Barrel Aged Black Betty
    Olde Rabbits Foot Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
    Ommegang Adoration
    Pelilcan Mother of All Storms 2011
    Saint Arnold Pumpkinator
    Solstice D’Hiver
    Squatters Fifth Element
    St. Bernardus ABT 12 Special Edition (60th Anniversary)
    Stone Old Guardian 2010
    Thirsty Dog Cerberus

    (The Host is really active on another online Beer community that will remain nameless.)
     
    #5 NitroGen, Aug 14, 2012
  6. Jefeipa

    Jefeipa Initiate (0) May 6, 2009 Arizona

    I did attend the tasting It was amazing. It's hard to pick a favorite one. I had so many amesome beers.
     
    #6 Jefeipa, Aug 14, 2012
  7. papagobrewing

    papagobrewing Initiate (0) Sep 8, 2009 Arizona

    I can think of four or five other groups that you could look into. The Arizona Trappiste Club, ASH-Arizona Society of Homebrewers, Brewmeisters Anonymous and the sewing circle which meets every Saturday or Sunday afternoon at Papago. If you have a lot of judging experience you might also be able to attend some of the Draft Magazine blind tasting sessions.
     
    #7 papagobrewing, Aug 14, 2012
  8. AAlchemist

    AAlchemist Initiate (0) Aug 12, 2012 Arizona

    @Nitrogen oh WOW! I'm speachless and completely bummed that i missed out on that opportunity. I've tried quite a few of those however i would have loved to try some of the other ones and simply compare tasting notes with others. I hope you had a great time!

    @Jefeipa keep rubbing it in. I'm still Jealous.

    @Papagobrewing Thank you for the additional information. That is certainly helpful and i will take some time to look into those. I unfortunately don't have any formal Judging Experience but i am in the process of trying to hone my skill (not that i think anyone should stop working on that) In a few years i would certainly love the opprortunity to do blind taste taste though. Also i have to say i love the beer selection at Papago. I've tried 3-4 of your personal beers (although it seems like you never have more than 2 on draft) but what i really love is your bottle collection. Whats your brewing capacity if you don't mind me asking?

    ~AAlchemist
     
    #8 AAlchemist, Aug 15, 2012
  9. papagobrewing

    papagobrewing Initiate (0) Sep 8, 2009 Arizona

    AAlchemist, surprised about your quote about only having two on tap as we almost always have 5-7 of our beers on tap. We don't own our own brewery, we contract brew our beer at 3 different places currently, Sun Up and Oak Creek locally and Van Steenberge in Belgium. We recently have brewed a couple of collaboration beers with Left Hand/Breckenridge and ODell apart from our contract brews that will be available next month also.
     
    #9 papagobrewing, Aug 15, 2012
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  10. AAlchemist

    AAlchemist Initiate (0) Aug 12, 2012 Arizona

    PapagoBrewing. The first time i visited Papago Brewing i knew Virtually nothing about your beer as i had just moved here and inquired about ordering a flight of the Papago Beer. At first the Server looked confused and then when i explained it was a taster of all of the beers that Papago brewed she said that wasn't an option (which by the way i'm not sure how often that request comes in and having so many drafts on selection makes it difficult to do but i highly reccomend with the exception of when the Bar is extremely busy...just my 2 cents) I wanted it to simply try all of your beer but then i was also told that there were only 2 beers available at that time (i believe one was an amber and memory isn't serving me well enough to remember the other). The second time i came into the Brewery i have to admit i didn't inquire about what beers were on draft i simply walked over to the bar and looked at the tap handles and i want to say there was 3...but i very well could have gotten lost in the sea of handles (certainly not a bad thing) So i apoligize for my comment about only having 2 on draft as i'm only basing that on the 2 experiences where i was looking to drink your beer specifically. The other couple of times i went for the bottle selections and had a few other of the beers on draft. Knowing that you usually have 5-7 on draft just means i need to come back and visit again to try the balance of your beeer. I'm really interested in your Collaboration Beers as off the top of my head i can't think of many collaborations they have done and of course most of Odell's Collaboration beers are on the scale of Delicious. Any better hint as to what time in September? I certainly wouldn't want to miss any of those. And thank you again for all the help and information.

    If you are ever in the Bar i would love to chat with you and know more about your contract brewing buisiness model as well.

    ~AAlchemist
     
    #10 AAlchemist, Aug 15, 2012
  11. papagobrewing

    papagobrewing Initiate (0) Sep 8, 2009 Arizona

    The Odell collaboration called Wild Raven will be tapped Sept 22nd which just happens to be Hoppegeddon II. It is a double black IPA aged in used DeConstruction barrels with Brett added made with New Zealand hops. The other one which is the Breckenridge/Left Hand Collaboration I am calling Rut-Ro should be available in early September depending on the shipping schedule from Colorado. It will be a Roasted Pecan and Agave Alt beer. We don't do flights, we just give you samples of whatever you want as long as you don't abuse it.
     
    #11 papagobrewing, Aug 15, 2012
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  12. BobLoblaw

    BobLoblaw Initiate (0) May 31, 2012 Arizona

    I do a mini tasting with a buddy once or twice a month with two or three bottles. Nothing super fancy, but we have a good time and are always looking for more people! Today I brought over a 2010 Schlafly barrel aged imperial stout. If you'd ever be interested in a low key tasting, send me a private message.

    Cheers!
    Trent
     
    #12 BobLoblaw, Aug 16, 2012
  13. Geuzedad

    Geuzedad Initiate (0) Nov 14, 2010 Arizona

    Hey papago those beers sounds really good. That Odell collaboration has my mouth watering already. Will you be announcing times on your web page?
     
    #13 Geuzedad, Aug 17, 2012
  14. papagobrewing

    papagobrewing Initiate (0) Sep 8, 2009 Arizona

    Just mark Sept 22nd on your calender for the Odell collaboration. We are having our second now annual Hoppegeddon party that day and it will be tapped then. It's a day in which we fill up the taps with all kinds of special hop centric beers.
     
    #14 papagobrewing, Aug 19, 2012
  15. Geuzedad

    Geuzedad Initiate (0) Nov 14, 2010 Arizona

    Will do. Can't wait! Thanks!
     
    #15 Geuzedad, Aug 20, 2012
  16. AAlchemist

    AAlchemist Initiate (0) Aug 12, 2012 Arizona

    @Papago Thank you again for all the information. I will certainly have to try all of your beers and upcoming releases.

    @Bobloblaw i will certainly hit you up!
     
    #16 AAlchemist, Aug 21, 2012
  17. dorf

    dorf Initiate (0) May 4, 2012 Arizona

    I'd definitely be interested in a tasting group/get-together. And I'll be getting in on the Papago-Odell colab brew for sure.
     
    #17 dorf, Aug 22, 2012
  18. Jefeipa

    Jefeipa Initiate (0) May 6, 2009 Arizona

    By looking at your name is there away to can hook it up with some Heady Topper?
     
    #18 Jefeipa, Aug 22, 2012
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