Bothell brewer rekindles fond memories of Pliny the Elder IPA
Published 1:30 am Sunday, December 11, 2016
Timber Demon IPA and Sidewinder Stout, Beardslee Public House, Bothell
Style: Triple IPA and American Stout
Stats: Timber Demon, 8.9 percent ABV, 86 IBU; Sidewinder, 6.9 percent ABV, 65 IBU
Available: In 22-ounces bottles as a festive two-pack at the brewery; also on tap at the brewery
My thoughts: When Russian River Brewing stopped distributing its world-famous IPA Pliny the Elder here in Washington three years ago, a groan could be heard from Seattle to Spokane. “No more Pliny,” was the lament.
Beardslee Public House head brewer Drew Cluley has done an admirable job of brewing up a replacement in the Timber Demon IPA. Cluley re-tooled what used to be the Timber Beast IIIPA, using a different hop profile and yeast strain to make a more drinkable, pinier IIIPA.
That hop profile: Columbus, Centennial and Simcoe, just like Pliny. The ABV subsequently came down and the finish became a little drier with the new yeast strain, allowing the hops to shine.
Having tasted it recently I can tell the difference. It’s much more approachable than the Timber Beast, which was a tad astringent on the palate and too high in ABV (higher than 10 percent) to have two.
For Christmas gifts, Beardslee paired Timber Demon with its award-winning Sidewinder Stout to make a festive two-pack. The bottles are hand-bottled by Cluley and his crew and the packs are $13.95 at the brewery. There are only 200 two-packs available.
Sidewinder won a silver medal in the American Stout category at the 2016 Washington Beer Awards competition. Let this stout breathe a little and the notes of chocolate and coffee get more robust, pairing perfectly with the roasty characteristics.
Speaking of coffee, Cluley recently brewed a coffee-flavored pale ale. If that sounds counterintuitive, it’s not. The light hop profile allows the coffee aroma and flavor to shine.
The beer is infused with cold-brew roasted by Redmond’s Victor’s Celtic Coffee and is intense. Let this one warm up a bit and enjoy with breakfast. It’s available on tap at the brewery.
From the brewery: Timber Demon: “A beast of an imperial IPA that is a step above a Double IPA in intensity and flavor. Lingering bitterness and abundant hop aroma takes your palate over the edge of hop sensibility, yet throws you a life line bringing you back for a much desired next sip.” Sidewinder: “Appearance is deep black with a thick, creamy tan head. On the palate, this ale is roasty, with notes of coffee and a hint of dark chocolate.”
