Pliny the Younger at Falling Rock and Wynkoop's Beerdrinker of the Year

Beer

Feb 28

Introducing Isaac Grindeland, the newest writer for Focus on the Beer.

Here's a few happenings that were going on in Denver this last Saturday. Since Pliny the Younger wouldn't be tapped at Trinity until April 11th at 5 pm, I decided to make the trip, without Eric, to Falling Rock Taphouse for their second tapping of the month of Pliny the Younger. For those not familar with this juice of the barley, it is the nephew of Pliny the Elder from Russian River Brewing company in Santa Rosa, CA. Pliny the Younger is an 11% triple IPA and hopped three times more than their standard IPA plus dry hopped four different times. They only release this magical brew once a year in February. As opposed to other coveted beer such as Three Floyds Dark Lord and Surly Darkness where you can only get the beer at the brewery or at the town of the brewery, Russian River graciously sends kegs to regional states for beerophiles to enjoy. This was my first tasting of the beer, and it did not disappoint. Falling Rock did a great job orchestrating the crowds by giving each person a red ticket guaranteeing a beer. The crowds weren't terribly big, and I was able to get two generous goblet style pints. Pliny the Younger was very similar to Pliny the Elder in flavor and aroma but with an added hopburst. I expected the flavor to be a lot sweeter since it's a triple IPA, but they did a great job of finishing this beer out with amazing balance and noticeable, but not hot, alcohol warmth.

A herd of Pliny the Younger (very rare sighting!)

Myself decked out with my Russian River garb, reading Radical Brewing, and enjoying Pliny the Younger.

The beer gods favored Pliny the Younger this day. A beautiful sight to behold.

I met up with some fellow Brew Brother of Pikes Peak at Falling Rock after our Pliny fills, and we headed over to Wynkoop Brewing Company for The Beerdrinker of the Year finalists competition. The seats were full to watch the three finalists answer questions given by a panel of judges. The six judges comprised of previous winners, beer journalists, and Andy Brown the brewmaster of Wynkoop. The schedule of events was as follows:

1. Opening statements by each finalist (90 seconds each)

2. Round one: Each judge asks one question to be answered by all three finalists (40 seconds each).

3. Round two: Each judge fires a short and sweet question to each finalist (one sentence answers).

4. Beer whispering: Each finalist conducts a friendly 60 second chat with a beer they bring.

5. The bribing of the judges with beer and swag by the finalists.

6. Public round: A few questions asked by the emcee, taken from the audience

7. Each finalist directs a question to each of the other National Finalists (30 seconds)

8. Beer listening: Two blind beer tastings (It was Duval and Port's Shark Attack Double Red Ale)

9. Round Three: Each judge fires especially tricky individually directed questions (30 seconds)

10. Closing statements (90 seconds each)

Finalists had to weigh-in pre and post judging.

The three finalists were:

James Clark from Springsfied, Virginia, and one of the original founders of the Colorado Springs homebrew club

Mike Dixon from Wake Forest, NC, and a national beer judge

Phil Farrell from Cumming, GA, and a grand master beer judge and four time finalist.

All three showed expert beer knowledge and wittiness. James seemed to be in the lead for the first half of the competition with extreme wit and beer appeal, but Phil showed why four times a charm by wowing the judges with his later round knowledge of blind beer tastings and beer trivia. Phil received beer for life at Wynkoop, $250 worth of beer at the winner's home pub, his name of the trophy at Wynkoop, and extreme beer cred.

The six distinguished judges including Bill Howell, 2010 Beerdrinker of the Year from Sterling, Alaska (third from the left).

The stage was set for a Rumble in the Wynkoop.
James Clark and Mike Dixon working the crowd.