Category Archives: Breckenridge

Hello everyone.  For today’s craft beer review I’m going to be trying the Avalanche Amber produced by the Breckenridge Brewery located in Denver, Colorado.

The Breckenridge Brewery really needs no introduction.  They have long been associated with the craft beer movement, so let’s just go ahead and get to the website, breckbrew.com, and see what they have to say about the Avalanche Amber.

That’s what makes our Avalanche amber ale such a treat. We blend pale and caramel malts — and just a kiss of bittering hops — to create a refreshing-but-flavorful, anytime beer. Aromas of pale grains, a semi-sweet middle and a clean-as-Colorado snow finish make this our best-selling beer.

It’s been some time since I last had this brew, so let’s get it poured shall we?

This brew came in a 12 oz. bottle and it had an ABV of 4.4%.

It poured a nice amber color with some burnt orange highlights around the edges.  It had a very nice clarity too.  The crown was off white, kind of small, sort of creamy and smooth.  The retention time wasn’t all that spectacular and the lacing was a little bit sparse.

The aroma presented some sweet caramel and toffee malt along with some toasted grains and hints of wheat bread.  It had a decent little earthy fragrance that established a “round” and soft profile.  The bouquet seemed to be balanced well enough and, overall, not bad at all.

The flavor discharged more of the caramel and toffee malt, however the toasted grain aspect nudged its way to the forefront and quickly became the heightened factor.  It developed a slight mineral component as well, which was paralleled by a doughy biscuit type of savor.  Nary any bitterness was to be found.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied.  Smooth, not quite dry, yet mostly crisp.  A good, medium strength carbonation was to be had, however not a lot of flavor was left behind after each sip.

Well, this beer wasn’t bad.  I found it to be a brew that could be a great introductory beer for someone just getting their feet wet when it comes to craft beer.  It had a killer drinkability and with the somewhat lower ABV I believe that a person could have several of these and be quite content without getting too overwhelmed with flavor.  It has a bit of complexity for some discussion and it would be totally fine for the Fall season, however the Breckenridge Avalanche Amber is not necessarily a “world-class” beer in my opinion.  Just to be clear, it’s nowhere near horrible and it’s absolutely worth a try if you have yet to do so because I think it could make for a great time with friends when just wanting to drink a no frills, easy going beer.

Thanks for reading and commenting everyone.  I really appreciate it.

Until next time.  Cheers.

Score:  3.35 out of 5
Grade:  B-

Hello again guys.  For today’s craft beer review I’m going to be trying the Agave Wheat produced by the Breckenridge Brewery located in Denver, Colorado.

We all know about Breckenridge Brewery, so let’s just go ahead and jump to the website, breckbrew.com, and see what they have to say about this particular brew.

Nectar of the beer gods.

Agave complements the refreshingly light quality of our wheat and adds a subtle note of flavor that expands this beer’s uplifting taste profile. It is familiar, yet creative.

It’s been awhile since I last had this brew, so let’s get it in the glass and give it another taste.

This beer came in a 12 oz. bottle and it had an ABV of 4.2%.

It poured a very hazy, golden/orange color.  The crown was super white with a soapy texture.  The size was decent enough, however the retention time was only so-so.  The lacing didn’t look too bad though.  It clung to the glass fairly well.

At first, the nose released some lemon citrus.  It was quickly followed by sturdy hints of wheat and bread.  I also got some type of musty vegetable smell.  Maybe that was the Agave or something.  I’m not for sure about that.  I also found a bit of spicy coriander and a light “melon” rind that reminded me a bit of cantaloupe.

The taste released a solid dose of the bread and wheat characteristics.  Again, I found some sort of vegetable/fruit rind indication.  I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.  I didn’t find any of the lemon citrus that I found in the bouquet either.  Oh well.  I tasted more of the spicy coriander and even a bit of pepper, of which added a tad more complexity.  I even detected the slightest bit of orange at the back end.

The mouthfeel was medium to medium/thin.  Very smooth, crisp, refreshing and thirst quenching.  The carbonation was decent, although the consistency was a tad bit watery.  The flavor seemed to vanish fairly quick from the palate after each sip.

Well.  This beer was just “ok” for me.  I was struggling a bit with the vegetable taste and smell.  It just wasn’t all that inviting to me.  That’s not saying the beer was bad or anything like that because the drinkability of this brew was very good and I finished the bottle with relative ease.  I definitely think this brew would be well suited for the warmer weather of Spring and Summer.  Don’t take my word for it…. try the Breckenridge Agave Wheat for yourself and see what you think.  It may very well be the refresher you’ve been looking for.  Have you guys had this beer before?  What was your opinion?  Good?  Bad?  Indifferent?  Feel free to leave a comment and tell me all about it.

Thanks for reading everyone.  I really appreciate it.

Until next time.  Cheers.

Score:  3.2 out of 5
Grade:  C+

Hi guys.  For today’s craft beer review I’m going to be trying the 72 Imperial produced by the Breckenridge Brewery located in Denver, Colorado.

If I’m not mistaken, I think this is a fairly new brew to their lineup.  If that’s the case let’s get to the website, breckbrew.com, and see what we can find out about it.

Just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Hmm.  Not much to go on there.

This beer comes in a 12 oz. bottle and it has an ABV of 7.2%.

The 72 Imperial poured black with only the most faint outline of ruby at the bottom of the glass when held toward a light source.  The head was very small, tan in color, smooth and creamy.  The retention time was not very good and the lacing was sub-par.

The bouquet had quite a bit of roasted coffee/espresso notes.  I was definitely getting some creamy milk aromas too.  The chocolate was there, but it seemed a touch relaxed at first, yet it slowly became more evident as it warmed.  I also discovered a hint of hickory nuts and yeast along with a light woody aroma.  Not bad at all.

Within the taste, the chocolate was a little more forthcoming.  Again, a nice creamy milk characteristic combined with some cocoa powder flavors.  The roasted coffee notes were a touch more hidden, but still easily noticed.  The bitterness was light and the nuttiness seemed to be of medium strength.  Overall, it was balanced rather well and only a smidgen sweet.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied.  It was smooth, dry and a bit chalky at the very back end.  The carbonation was good and a decent dose of flavor was left behind on the palate after each sip.

Well, this beer wasn’t bad at all.  Solid and sturdy for the most part.  The only real “beef” I have is the appearance.  I don’t know what it is, but it seems as if every Breckenridge Brewing beer I’ve had comes up a tad short in regards to the aesthetic appeal.  The foam is never very large nor do they ever have great retention or lacing.  I realize that’s not a “make or break” factor, however, it’s still an important aspect of the beer for me.  Other than that, I found the beverage to be nice and flavorful while maintaining a relative ease of drinkability.  It’s worth a try for sure.  If you guys happen across a bottle of the Breckenridge 72 Imperial, pick it up, give it a go and let me know what you thought.

Thanks for everything guys.  I’m grateful.

Until next time.  Cheers.

Score:  3.7 out of 5
Grade:  B