Oh Happy Day!

Today I got to try Big Sky's Powder Hound. This is their winter release. Having just discovered Big Sky, I feel like I am still in the honeymoon stage. This is a time of exploration for me. So, when I noticed that my local Hy-Vee finally got this brew in I couldn't help myself. Also, it timed out that my girlfriend was out of town, so I had nothing better to do.

The beer is difficult to classify as its brewers openly admit. So, we can dispense with the idea of trying to place limitations on it as per style. As I pour it, I notice it is not as dark as many winter beers. It also appears to be a little lighter in overall style than I expected. The clarity allowed the light to shine through showing the full red-brown wonderment that is Powder Hound. The beer held a decent head that didn't immediately fizzle out. The beer's flavor has wonderful depth while avoiding an overabundance of complex flavors. It's not a beer that makes you contemplate deeply what that one flavor is you can't quite put your finger on. It strikes a balance between malts and hops that is difficult to find. The malt added an almost caramel flavor to this beer without making it overly sweet. The hops matched this perfectly and led an amazingly balanced, flavorful beer. Rating: 5/5

Oh, and my birthday passed recently and my brother got me a starter kit for homebrewing. He happens to be a plumber, so if I decide to make my setup more complex, I'm sure I can count on him for help. The starter kit is for an American style Bock and came with everything I need other than water and the equipment. Now I just have to convince my girlfriend to let me stink up the house to make my beer. If only I had that stupid garage...

I am still waiting for more seasonals to crop up. Luckily my local Hy-Vee store has a good selection. Also, the downtown scene here in Des Moines offers some great locations to get craft brews. For example, El Bait Shop or the Royal Mile. I am still exploring but hope to find even more great spots. We also have a nice selection of brewpubs downtown, which I hope to get to soon.