I felt like I fallen behind a bit in keeping up with what was new and on tap in the Boise area. After work today I started to rectify certain inequities in that area.
I’ve posted before about how Friday afternoons are kind of special at TableRock Brewing and today was no exception. I arrived a little after 3pm and the “Friday special” was a Belgian Double IPA that was on the “beer engine” It was listed at 119 IBUs but it sure didn’t taste like it. Big rich malty taste and body, and the Belgian yeast was not very prominent. The high bitterness of a Double IPA probably over powered that a little, which is fine. It went together very well.
There was no sense in leaving now as downtown rush hour was just cranking up…so I ordered another. This time it was their new Imperial Russian Stout. According to Ratebeer.com it was the only IRS they have made. It was good, not over-the-top huge but black, a nice dark roasted bitter bite and enough bittering to keep everything in check and balanced.
I chatted with the Brew-Mistress briefly and figured I still had a little catching up to do so I headed to Payette Brewing.
Payette had a couple new ones on and they were both “fresh hop” beers or “Harvest Ales”. More on that later. “Wet and Wilder” and “So Fresh and So Clean” was what they called them and apparently they were the same recipe but each made with different hops added at the end. Chinook and Centennial, respectively.
Both were good, and Payette has little 8 oz glasses of their offerings so it is easy to try a few with out getting tanked or running up a big bill at $4 a pint or so. While I was there I got to watch the first half of the BSU vs Fresno St game. All I can say about that is I’m kind of glad I left before the heart breaking end.
Crooked Fence Brewing was a little further down the road but I saved them for the next day.
Can’t hit them all at once….people might talk.
