Great Divide Saison/Dunkel Weiss Release Party

I went to the Great Divide release party for their new 2009 Saison and Dunkel Weiss, and these are the things that I would like to say regarding that lovely event.

First, I was very impressed at the turnout, considering the horrific weather. I was the only one of up to eight people I knew who managed to make it, and that was after an hour-and-a-half commute from Boulder. Cars were sliding all over the road, and my boots got wet up to the calf because every time all day I got out of my car to do something, two inches of slush had ganged up on my windshield, preventing my wipers from doing their dang job. It seemed that a lot of the people who ended up attending the party lived within walking distance of the brewery, which was awesome. The less cars on the road, and the less drinking and slush and cars and drinking and cars on the road, the better. This is what I say.

The second thing I would like to say, although the first (or possibly second) thing in importance, was that I really enjoyed the party. A spread of pretzels, bread, and cheeses chosen to match the two beer styles (and labeled clearly as such), was put out for those who came within the first hour or so. The brewery, being essentially a warehouse, was cold but everyone came prepared with jackets and after about an hour the place was packed to the point that it was plenty warm with laughter and body heat and that little pilot light of alcohol glow. A little bit of cross-dressing and some Authentic German Costuming added to the general festivity. An accordion would have been favorite, but if I got everything I wanted, well… Oh wait! Beer! Yes, there was beer there, and it was delicious. The Saison was, amongst the folks I spoke with, the clear star of the evening, with the Dunkel Weiss feeling relatively bland in comparison.

I felt that both of the beers were served very cold, which with the chill in the warehouse made for a bit of a sodden-girl-scout singalong-in-October feel that I don’t feel did either beer justice. Both being traditionally spring/summer styles, they are supposed to be cold, but given how cold it already was, the Saison felt thin and the Dunkel Weiss tasted like almost nothing at all until I let it warm up a bit.

The Saison hit the front part of my tongue immediately, and I think that the feeling of effervescence was augmented by the jumpy, bright, kiwis-with-honey feel that the beer left on the insides of my cheeks. I wouldn’t say it tasted like kiwis with honey, but it left the same illusion of tart fruit flash bulbs, spread across my mouth like a momentary Munch painting. It lingered with a taste like a sharp apple pie, especially when paired immediately with the cheese provided (no, I don’t remember what each cheese was, so anyone please feel free to refresh my memory). Despite the unfortunate chill, the taste that this beer offered was pretty astounding overall, and I would definitely come back on a hot day for a short Saison session.

As I said before, I noticed that I couldn’t taste much out of the Dunkel Weiss. I don’t know if it was just too cold, or if the Saison’s piccolo solo was just too much for me to focus on the other woodwinds in the band. When paired with its chosen cheese the beer did begin to let out a bit of its character, but I can’t honestly make an opinion one way or the other. My unfamiliarity with the style may have contributed to my inability to identify any particular traits, as I was running without a track. Despite this, I do look forward to a taste of the Dunkel Weiss at the Denver Tweetup this Friday. Given the fantastic track record of Great Divide with turning pretty much everything they brew into liquid gold, I am sure I will be impressed.