Bimigan's Ark

And God said, "Gather your beers two by two and get your sorry asses to Bim's Ark while I drown you drunken bastards with 3 days of rain!" And so it was written, and so it was done. Like cows heading to the barn, the BC4M braved wind and treacherous flooding, gathered the womenfolk, loaded our beer into buckets, and headed to Bim's. 3 days of flood waters had everybody pissed off and ready to throw down. Besides, with the bad weather, our 1950's era Direct TV had lost it's signal and we were starved for entertainment. And what better way for a bunch of craft brew alcoholics to entertain themselves (besides a circle jerk of course) than to drink good beer. Bim had the house well prepared for the flood, so it was the logical place to meet. Ok, enough of the gratuitous links, let's rate some beers! As we often like to do, we opened the night with "The RFG of IPA's", a Pliny the Elder. Our stock is running low, but until we run out, we intend to savor every one of these bitches! Next up was St. Georges Brewing Co.'s Octoberfest (5%). This beer had the odd smell that we've come to expect from this brewery, and the odd taste to match, but still rated a good. Abita Amber Beer (5%) tasted like weak Louisiana swamp water and rated a sucks. Boulder Beer Pass Time Ale (5%) was a sweet, smooth session beer, and the whole group agreed it was good. Next up was some weird Italian beer called Nuova Mattina (5.8%). This shit is brewed with ginger, coriander, green pepper and chamomile. WTF??? Were they using up all the crap spices from the spice cabinet? Not good fellas. Who brews with chamomile? The same dickwads that brought us theFiat, that's who. Breckenridge Lucky U IPA (6.2%) was a so/so, making all of us feel less than lucky for having tasted it. Finally it was time for a real beer, as we cracked open the Lost Abbey Serpents Stout (11%). This shit was pure deliciousness! Chocolaty smooth with just the right amount of alcohol heat. By the time we opened the next beer, the skys had opened up again, J. Wilder arrived in his "water skeeter", and we retreated to the boathouse (sorry, more gratuitous links). Ballast Point's Victory at Sea Coffee Vanilla Imperial Porter (10%) reminded us of our own old sea daddy, Tank, and his incredulous stories of battling Barberry pirates and sea monsters. This beer had a nice vanilla flavor and was a really good. Great Divide followed with their Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (9.5%). We love yeti's (see "Prince Mike") but this one was weak and was only a so/so. If we wanted to drink oak chips, we'd ferment the runoff off Fred's fire pit. Next up was a beer we drank at Fred's birthday, but were too stewed to record... Great Divide's 16th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA (10%). No one can really remember what we thought of it initially, but on this night it was a good. At this point Snake, in his typical over the top fashion, stood and screamed, "Way too much talking and not enough fucking drinking!" Shipyard produced two losers, their IPA (5%) which sucked, and their Shipyard Expert Handcrafted Ale (5%) which was only marginally better and rated a so/so. CHC homebrew is "handcrafted" too, which says nothing about quality, as every one of our beers tastes like pure ass. Green Flash supplied the Barleywine style ale (10.9%) which are liked by some members and feared by others. It was a mixed vote, and rated a good. The Bruery's Mischief (8.5%) was really good, although there were no comments. Widmer Brothers have produced a mixed bag of beers, but their Prickly Pear Braggot (10%) was a unanimous good. We were on a roll now, tearing through new beers like a bunch of fat kids in a candy store. Bell's Best Brown Ale (5.8%) featured a nice rendition of Woodsie the Owl on the label, and tasted cool too, rating a good. Blue Moon Harvest Moon (5.7%) (the Coors Light of craft brews) was a decent session beer and rated a good. Brooklyn Brewery Post Road Pumpkin Ale (5%) tasted like they used the month old neighborhood pumpkins that Bim used to litter the street with on Halloween as a delinquent child (he now confines his shenanigans to sexually molesting lawn ornaments). Saranac Pumpkin Ale (5.5%) was a little better, but still only a so/so. We closed the night with a Shipyard Pumpkinhead (4.5%) that Fred described as a cinnamon cookie in a bottle and rated a good. And just like that, the party was over. Time for the BC4M to strap on the speedos and swin home

Bim's Thoughts from the GABF

The Great American Beer Festival has come and gone. Now it's time to look back on our favorite parts of the whole Denver experience. I think for me, meeting the other bloggers and brewers was my favorite part. Take, for instance, the Beer and Whiskey Brothers. For starters, Jim is 9 ft 6 inches tall and his brother is 10 ft tall. They look much shorter on the computer screen. Really nice guys who have their shit together when it comes to alcoholic beverages. Then there were the New Brew Thursday guys. I can relate to them, as we meet Thursday nights, and at one time considered calling ourselves the "Twenty New Brew Thursday Boys". Although they were from California, I felt like they would feel right at home with the Virgina based BC4M. And who could forget the Beer Monster... not quite sure what her gig was, but loved her style. I even got to speak with the Drunken Polack, who has sampled more rare beers than I ever will in my lifetime. His web page is a must read for serious craft beer enthusiasts. We met some wonderful brewers, the group from 6 Rivers Brewing Co., in California. They make some cool beers, and were down home friendly folks that took in our sorry asses when we needed a seat at the bar. With the beer selection in the thousands, it was impossible to taste them all. We started with a few of the better knowns in the group, but I was really impressed with some brewers whom I had never heard of, namely Fegely's Brew Works and the Mad Fox Brewing Co. Both these brewers were serving up really excellent beers, and I certainly am planning on hunting down their other beers to sample later. And to top that off, they had employees pouring beers! And lastly, I was able to speak to a Dog Fish Head rep regarding their beers. They are my favorite brewer, which I related, but I couldn't help but let the guy know that they make some real dogs as well (can you say Sah Tea?). Gotta keep the Big Dogs humble after all, and challenge them to continually step up their game. Almost everyone was exceptionally friendly, with the exception of one cornhole playing jackass by the name of John, who was, by the way, from Virginia! And a very special thank you to our Denver host and shuttle driver, Dawn, who probably endured more noxious internal gas exposure in that short weekend than she has her entire life. We were tired and cold and she gave us shelter, hungry and she gave us food, thirsty and she gave us beer. Jesus himself couldn't have done better. It was a most memorable trip, from the crazy costumes, to the cheers every time a glass was dropped, it's something that everyone who loves good beer, should experience. Plus, there are actually bars in Denver where Pliny the Elder is served on draught!!! We were in heaven.

Ratings from the Great American Beer Festival

The following is the list of beers we tried at the Great American Beer Festival in no particular order. Most of the beers were mediocre at best, but a few of them got a really good and 3 of them got the coveted RFG. There were a lot of unique names among the couple hundred beers we tried yet some of the most creative names ended up tasting like bad dishwashing liquid. Maybe if they spent as much time on the beer as on coming up with a witty name, the beer would be much better. Next time, we will try even more, (if our livers can handle it)

Oskar Blues

Barrel Aged Ten Fidy (RFG!)

Barrel Aged Sour Cherry Old Chub (Really Good)

Adirondack Pub and Brewery

Dirty Blonde Ale (so-so)

Beaver Tail Brown Ale (so-so)

America's Brewing Company @ the Roundhouse

Paddler's Porter (so-so)

Beauregard's Blueberry Beer (so-so)

Augusta Brewing Company

Hyde Park Stout (so-so)

Augusta Witbier (sucks)

1856 I.P.A. (so-so)

Backcountry Brewery

May Bock (good)

Ptarmigan Pilsner (sucks)

Barley Island Brewing Company

Dirty Helen Brown Ale (good)

Battered Boar Brewing Company

Briarpatch Amber Ale (sucks)

Company Man Pale Ale (sucks)

Chuck's Pumpkin Ale (so-so)

Coconut Cream Stout (sucks)

Big Rock Chop House

Flying Buffalo Imperial Stout (really good)

Norm's Raggedy Ass IPA (good)

American Brown Ale (so-so)

Black Diamond Brewing Company

Le Beau Fils Dirige Rouge (so-so)

Rampage Imperial IPA (so-so)

Jagged Edge IPA (so-so)

Sam Adams

Longshot Rae Rae's Ale (sucks)

Longshot Don Tiburon Ale (sucks)

Longshot Lavender Honey Brew (so-so)

Bull and Bush Brewery

The Tower ESB (good)

Big Ben Brown Ale (so-so)

Cambridge House Brew Pub

CPA (sucks)

Leopold's Gold (good)

Bumble Bock (good)

Cascade Brewing Company

Vlad the Imp Aler (really good)

Kriek (good)

Cascade Lakes Brewing Company

Blonde Bombshell (sucks)

Centennial IPA (good)

20" Brown (so-so)

Chuckanut Brewery

Bock (so-so)

Dunkel (so-so)

Pilsner (so-so)

Cigar City Brewing

Marshal Zhukov's Final Push (really good)

Jai Alai IPA (so-so)

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Brown Ale (really good)

Guava Grove (really good)

Cocoa Beach Brewing Company

Orange Avenue Wit (so-so)

Cumberland Brewery

Bourbon Barrel Keister (really good)

Bases 10 IPA (good)

Dogfish Head

Chateau Jiahu (so-so)

Bitches Brew (really good)

Tamarillo (so-so)

Grain to Glass (sucks)

Dunedin Brewery

The Rock (good)

Elysian Brewing Company

Mens Room Original Red Ale (sucks)

Mr. Yuck (good)

Emerald City Beer Company

Dotties Seattle Lager (so-so)

Evolution Craft Brewing

Rise Up Stout (good)

Lot #3 IPA (so-so)

Fegley's Brew Works

Kriek (good)

Bagpiper's Scotch Ale (so-so)

Hop'solutely (really good)

Pawn Shop Porter (so-so)

Devious Imperial Pumpkin (really good)

Five Seasons Brewing Company

Hopgasm (good)

Scotch Ale (good)

Seven Sisters (sucks)

Flying Fish Brewing Company

Exit 1 (really good)

Foothills Brewing Company

Hoppyum IPA (so-so)

Seeing Double IPA (good)

Baltic Porter (good)

Oktoberfest (so-so)

Great Lakes Brewing Company

Glockenspiel (good)

Rye of the Tiger (sucks)

Christmas Ale (good)

Hoppin Frog Brewing

Turbo Shandy Citrus Ale (really good)

Frog's Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale (good)

Hop Master's Abbey Double IPA (good)

Cafe Beans Imperial Coffee Stout (really good)

Holy Mackerel Brewing

Tripel (good)

Big Bear Brewing

Paw Print Pilsner (so-so)

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

Shokolod Stout (good)

Karl Strauss Brewing Company

Amber Lager (so-so)

Kuhnhenn Brewing Company

Fourth Dementia Old Ale (really good)

Hefeweizen (so-so)

DRIPA (good)

Solar Eclipse (really good)

Lagunitas Brewing Company

Old Gnarlywine (so-so)

Voodoo Hop Juice (so-so)

Lone Rider Brewing Company

Peacemaker (sucks)

Sweet Josie (sucks)

Shotgun Betty (sucks)

The Lost Abbey

Red Poppy (really good)

Angel's Share Grand Cru (good)

Framboise de Amorosa (good)

Judgement Day (really good)

Carnavale (so-so)

Mad Fox Brewing Company

Wee Heavy (really good)

Golden Strong (really good)

George's Southern Bitter (sucks)

Kolsch (so-so)

Molotov Hoptail (good)

Stone Brewing

San Diego Session (so-so)

Double Dry Hopped IPA (so-so)

Kona Brewing

Coco Loco (good)

Oceanic Orgasmic (sucks)

Castaway IPA (so-so)

The Mash House Brewery & Chophouse

Hoppy Hour IPA (so-so)

Red Ale (so-so)

Hopnotic (so-so)

Moon River Brewing

Captain's Porter (good)

Apparition Ale (so-so)

Rosemary Swamp Fox (so-so)

New Belgium Brewing Company

Abbey Belgian Style Ale (good)

Imperial Berliner-Style Weiss (good)

Belgo-IPA (sucks)

New Glarus Brewing

Raspberry Tart (RFG!)

Spotted Cow (so-so)

Enigma (good)

Odell Brewing Company

St. Lupulin (so-so)

Bourbon Barrel Stout (good)

5 Barrel Pale Ale (good)

Woodcut #4 (really good)

Mercenary (good)

Pisgah Brewing Company

IPA (so-so)

Vortex I (so-so)

Valdez (so-so)

Pizza Port Brewing

Skidmark Brown (so-so)

Z-Man Stout (good)

The Jetty IPA (sucks)

Bacon & Eggs Imperial Breakfast Coffee Porter (really good)

O.B. Chronic (sucks)

InFamous (really good)

Luck O' the Irish (so-so)

Big Wednesday (so-so)

One Down Brown (good)

Jules Winnfield (good)

Shark Attack (so-so)

Port Brewing Company

Panzer Pils (good)

Portsmouth Brewing Company

Milk Stout (good)

Redrock Brewing Company

Rauch Beer (so-so)

Rock Bottom Breweries

Udder Goodness (really good)

Heaven and Hop (so-so)

Russian River Brewing Company

Hopfather IPA (so-so)

Salvation (good)

San Diego Brewing Company

Hop Goddess (so-so)

Hopnotic (so-so)

Trophy Wife (good)

The Sandlot

Where the Helles Bill? (so-so)

Goat Rancher (so-so)

Pinch Hit Pils (sucks)

Seabright Brewery

Whale Tail Ale (sucks)

St. Hubbins Imperial Red (sucks)

Sierra Nevada Brewing

Estate Homegrown Ale (good)

Life and Limb (RFG!)

Six Rivers Brewery

Smokey Joes Spicy Porter (so-so)

Sour Grapes (so-so)

Rosie's Strawberry Wheat (so-so)

Raspberry Lambic Style (good)

Chile Beer (sucks)

Swamp Head Brewery

Midnight Oil (so-so)

Wild Night (so-so)

Magnolia Brewing

Blue Bell Bitter (sucks)

Terrapin Beer Company

Iron Tankard (good)

Monk's Revenge (good)

Side Project Volume 12 Hopzilla (good)

Thirsty Bear Brewing Company

Golden Vanilla (sucks)

Rum Runner (sucks)

Left Hand Brewing Company

Snowboard Winter Ale (good)

Marzen October (so-so)

Twin Sisters (good)

Starsky and Scotch (really good)

Good JuJu (sucks)

Blackjack Porter (so-so)

Oxymoron (good)

Black Jack Cask Ale (so-so)

Sawtooth Ale (so-so)

Jackman's APA (so-so)

Milk Stout (really good)

Imperial Stout (good)

Widdershins Barleywine (really good)

MacTarnahan's Brewing Company

Goose Bump Imperial Stout (good)

Two Brothers Brewing Company

Resistance IPA (sucks)

Public Domain 10 (good)

Cane and Ebel (good)

Titletown Brewing Company

Dry Eye Stout (sucks)

Railyard Ale (sucks)

Canadeo Gold (sucks)

Three Floyd's Brewing

Ich Bin Schwartz Genug Fur Dich (good)

Infanitus Attero (sucks)

Muenster Fest (so-so)

Yazoo Brewery

Sly Rye Porter (sucks)

Summer Ale (sucks)

Hop Project (sucks)

Avery Brewing Company

Cask Maharaja Dugame (really good)

Beast from the Wood (good)

Bourbon Barrel Aged Black Tot ( really good)

Ruminator (good)

White Rascal (good)

Boulder Beer Company

Black Lager (so-so)