I found Bigfoot, the hunt is over!

The movie poster

I make so secret about the fact that I love all things "bigfoot". Not only do I love the beer, but I am fascinated by the large hairy ape that "allegedly" roams the pacific northwest. It started at a very young age, when our father brought my older brother and I to our very first movie in a movie theater. That movie was "Sasquatch, the Legand of Bigfoot". Ever since then, I have sucked up all info on the elusive cryptid, be it books, movies, documentaries, whatever. So, you will not be surprised when, while browsing the beer isle a few years back, I saw a six pack of a beer called "Bigfoot", a barelywine style beer from the fine folks at Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico CA, the makers of the ubiquitous, delicious Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
Now, barelywines are one of my favorite styles, and I must say, Bigfoot is a fantastic example of the style. So, it only took a sip or two for Bigfoot to rocket to the top of my favorite beers list, and not just for the name, its a great beer. It has remained there to this day.

Now, I also heard that this particular beer ages well (as is the case with most barelywines). So, after enjoying this beer for a few years, I decided to start stashing some aside for aging. So, every year, starting in 2009 I started stashing a six pack of this fine beer aside. Well, in a few weeks, Bigfoot 2014 will hit store shelves, and when it does, I will have 6 years worth of this beer. I plan on having a small gathering at my place once I get it, and doing a vertical tasting, to take a look at how the beer changes over time, and I plan on writing about it, photographing it, and maybe even video taping it for a short video. To tease the tasting, I was going to write a sort of review of what to expect from the beer etc., but you know, I find beer reviews to be boring and really just too subjective to be of too much use. Well, then I found this video. It's part of Sierra Nevada's video series "Brewer and the Beer Geek". A great video series that covers the range of SN brews and other info. They talk a lot about the brewing process of the beer, the science behind the aging process of it and just do a far better job of explain this beer then I ever could, so here, check out this video....







So, make sure you keep your camera's at the ready, so you can snap another grainy, shaking photos of the big fella! And, keep an eye out for news on the first annual Beer Czar Vertical Bigfoot Tasting, 2014, you might even get an invite!

So, do I believe in Bigfoot? Maybe? Not until one is captured (alive or dead) or some real compelling video is captures, or until I see one myself, I can't believe it 100%, but man, wouldn't it be awesome if he really was out there...I hope he is.

Until next time
Bottoms up my friends!

The Beer Czar

New Video from Sierra Nevada

OK, Sierra Nevada has long been one of my favorite brewery's. They consistently release quality beers, year after year, at a great price, and its widely available, easy to find. They have an impressive, and ever growing line up of fine brews. My love of Sierra Nevada started with their Pale Ale, and later, moved on to Tumbler, their brown ale, then their Porter, and later, one of my all time favorite beers, Bigfoot (of which I have 5 six packs from the last 5 years waiting patiently in my cellar, well, closest). Most recently, I've been digging on their Narwhal, and I still even have a bottle of Ken and Fritz's 30th Anniversary Stout, one of my all time favorite stouts! Again, the fine folks at Sierra Nevada are always impressing me.

Just this evening, I stumbled upon this video about their humble beginnings and subsequent rise to the forefront of the American craft beer movement. Check out this video, if this doesn't make you love Sierra Nevada even more, well, then, I am not sure what will.

I might also ad, I think Sierra Nevada also has some of the best, classiest label art in the beer world! From the playful Bigfoot label, to the elegance of their "Ruthless Rye" and now their Narwhal label. I just love their labels. OK, so, enough of the Sierra Nevada love feast, I just thought this was a pretty cool, very well done video, and wanted to share it with everyone.

So, raise a glass of Bigfoot, or Narwhal, or Pale Ale, and enjoy the fruits of Ken Groomsman's dedication and passion for beer, we've all benefited from it.

Until next time by friends
Bottoms Up
The Beer Czar