the session

Jon would like us to call it barleywine while some would call it barley wine. In any event, he’s announced that’s what we’ll be tasting for Session #12.

Is this the time to haul out the 1968 bottle of Thomas Hardy’s Ale? Probably not.

But perhaps a vertical of newer versions, or maybe six Sierra Nevada Bigfoots, going only with the odd years so we can span 1997 through 2007 and still be able to walk.

Speaking of Bigfoot, Rick Sellers has the rundown on special packaging to celebrate 25 years of Bigfoot.

Wilson has posted the roundup for The Session #11–Doppelbock, the Illuminator.

Now I’m wishing I grabbed that bottle of Indian Wells Lobotomy Bock that I saw in Panamint Springs, but too late.

I promise to stick to style or topic for the February Session Feb. 1 (just two days before the Super Bowl). Jon Abernathy at The Brew Site, who helped flesh out the idea for The Session when it didn’t even have a name, will be the host.

Be looking for his announcement about the theme/topic.

So the sign on the side of Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas read “Double Bock Beer is here.”

My first thought Wednesday was, “This looks like my beer for The Session.” No, it didn’t read “doppelbock” but Samuel Adams calls its excellent doppelbock-style beer Double Bock. So perhaps the Germans figured that was a term Americans would better understand.

What a dunce. They meant a strong beer in the manner of a bock, in this case a helles bock (akin to what many know as a Maibock). As you can see, golden (lighter than appears here), strong at 8% abv, but not at all like the doppelbock “invented” by the monks of St. Francis of Paula in Munich. Not a beer you’d call [fill in the blank]-ator.

A good beer, rich and full of flavor, bright and fresh, showing no wear and tear after its journey from Germany.

I’m not sure how to characterize Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas. On the one hand, it is located only a short walk from Las Vegas Boulevard and across the street from the Hard Rock Hotel — a perfect fit for adult fantasyland. If you’ve already been in the pseudo-Irish pub in New York New York or had your picture taken next to the replica Eiffel Tower up the street then you might shrug at this faithful reproduction of the original Hofbräuhaus München.

However, it is operated by the same owners (and I don’t know what that means its relationship is to InBev, which brews Hofbräuhaus beers) as the Hofbräuhaus in Munich. It’s not as big, but the large single-room restaurant with wooden tables and benches has an inviting beer hall feel. The food is excellent and the beers come from Germany.

(This makes it different than the Hofbräuhaus in Newport, Ky., which brews its own beer.)

We went primarily because he plan to visit the original Hofbräuhaus in Munich in the fall. And it was a heck of a lot more enjoyable than the last “brewery” we visited in 2007. More about all that next week.

The Session: Brewvana hosts this 11th edition of The Session, a monthly gathering of bloggers to write on a single topic. Head that way to read about actual doppelbocks.

Wilson at Brewvana has announced the topic for The Session #11. As he puts it:

I’ll be January’s host, hoping to be the instigator of beer excitement. Pollinator of beer enthusiasm. Elevator of beer appreciation. Detonator of beer discussion.

Yes, plan to have a dopplebock come Jan. 4.

If you are new to the idea you’ll find the background here. Bottom line: If you want to participate you are welcome to join us.

Ted at Barley Vine has posted his roundup for The Session#10: “Let it snow, let it snow.”

Thirty-one bloggers joined in, and tasted a heck of a lot more than 31 beers (made me feel like a slacker).

Ted writes: “I know that I learned a lot about winter beers, and its given me an even longer list of beers that I want to try.”

Expect an announcement about The Session #11 soon.