Glacier National Park

We made it to Glacier National Park yesterday, spent today sightseeing in the park. This is just one of many stunning vistas along the road:

Leavenworth IPA

Lighter bodied and more assertively bitter than the Icicle Bootjack.  Decent, but I like the malt in the Bootjack better.

Self portrait

I'll call it "still life with shingles."

Not only does it look hideous, it hurts like hell.  I thought it was poison oak, but nope the doc said it's shingles.  At least with pain meds it hasn't put a damper on our vacation fun.

Icicle Creek

We did some sightseeing in the Icicle Creek area just West of Leavenworth. Beautiful spot, like most of the scenery around here. A video and some photos:

This is a ridiculously beautiful spot. Ignore the touristy crap (while partaking in the plethora of good food, beer, and wine) and take in the sights.

Applets and Cotlets

When Tracie heard that the Applets and Cotlets factory was just 10 miles from where we are staying in Leavenworth, she immediately put that at the top of our list of places to visit on our trip. Here are a couple of videos and photos from the factory tour:

Pictures:

Yes, there were free samples. The pineapple macadamia nut ones were great. We bought several boxes to take home. Good stuff. Overall I was rather surprised at the small size of the operation, but I guess they've got it down. Good fun.

Leavenworth view

At sundown from our hotel balcony.

2009 The Abyss

Stout brewed with licorice and molasses, aged in bourbon barrels.
22oz bottle, 11% abv.
Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR.

Vacations are a special occasion, so I brought some of my cellar beer.

Pours black and opaque, with a lingering brown head.

Aroma is alcohol, vanilla and a hint of fruity esters.

Flavor is intensely malty, with strong notes of vanilla, leather, and tobacco.

Finish is surprisingly clean, with very little warmth to indicate the strength. Enough bitterness to balance out the malt, but not overly bitter.

I had a salted caramel from the local chocolatier along with thus, and it made a great pairing.

Overall: delightful!

Bootjack IPA

Icicle Brewing Company
Leavenworth, Wa.

Draft, abv unspecified.

Pours goldish amber, with a moderate head.  Clear.

Aroma is moderately hoppy with nice notes of malt.

Flavor is nicely balanced but with noticeable hop presence. Not overly hoppy, but pleasant.  Good malt.

Finish is clean, crisp, but not overly bitter.  Just enough to clean up the hint of malt sweetness.

Overall a really nice, solid IPA that's not too over-the-top with hops.  The food here at the brewery is good too, and not overly expensive in a tourist trap of a town.  Very happy to find this spot on our vacation in Leavenworth.

More Leavenworth Action

Adventure day for me and Trace in Leavenworth.  First was a hike up to Icicle Ridge.  Here's the view from the top:

Then we relaxed a bit and since it started raining decided to do a car loop up the Chumstick highway through Plain, WA to Lake Wenatchee. Pretty spot. We stopped at a variety of places on the way back on HWY 2, including this beautiful spot that we could see from Icicle Ridge -- the Wenatchee River and Powerhouse Bridge:

Overall an excellent way to spend a Monday!

King Ludwig's

Accordian player at King Ludwig's restaurant in Leavenworth.

Very nice people, good service, ridiculously rich German food.

German food

Oh yeah...

More Bier

And pretzels.  And that is most definitely not a girl beer that Trace is drinking -- Pike Kilt Lifter.  Good times.

Icicle Brewing Company

Day two in Leavenworth and things just keep getting better.

Bier Garden

First stop after checking into the awesome hotel in downtown Leavenworth, WA.  Yeah, I think I can handle a week here.

Last beer: Abbaye St.Bon-Chien

Abbey style, 2010, Brasserie Des Franches Montagnes, Jura, Switzerland.

Sour, lots of wood and wine like notes from barrel aging.  Reminds me of Cascade Brewing's "the vine" or "sang noir."

Good stuff, sad it's over :-(

Final dessert course

Cheese and strawberries. Gave the berries away since I'm allergic. :-( 

Good cheese, excellent pairing with the Grand Cru.

Special Extra Export Stout

Belgian imperial stout, Brouwerij De Dolle, Esen, Belgium

Dessert: Belgian chocolate tartlet

Grand Cru

Belgian Abbey Quad, Brasserie de L'Abbaye Du Cal-Dieu, Belgium
10.5%abv

This is super good, and I don't just say that because it's remarkably similar to our winning Belgian Strong ale.  Lots of great candi sugar notes, hints of cola, and a bit of lingering sweetness.

Beef

Braided beef brisket, wild morels, and beet greens. Yum.

Perspective

That is a big bottle of beer.

Reserva Oerbier

Strong dark ale, Brouwerij De Dolle, Essence, Belgium
9.5%abv

Really complex, lots of fruit notes, dark chocolate, a hint of sourness.  Super yummy.

Food course

Seared duck breast, black eyed peas, guanciale (cured pork jowls), and radish greens.

XX Bitter

Belgian IPA. Brouwerij De Ranke, Dottignies, Belgium.a
6%abv

A change from the sour.  Light malt nose, assertively bitter finish.  More like a strong pilsner to me than an IPA, but I am from the northwest.

Fou'foune

Apricot lambic, Cantillon, Brussels. 5%abv

Yummy sour deliciousness. The apricot is really subtle, which is great.  Super sour lambic nature, dry and crisp.

Mussels!

O. M. G.

Pomme frites

Yum.

Tripel Karmeliet

Bostels Brewery, Buggenhout, Belgium, 8.4%abv

Very tasty, lots of candy and fruity notes, but clean and easy to drink.  Deceptively strong.

Food pairing

Shaved asparagus, egg aioli, lemon, sel gris.

Sounds fancy, tastes like a deviled egg with yummy veggies.  Tasty.

Hopsinjoor, hoppy blond

Gouden Carolus Brouwerij Het Anker, Mechelen, Belgium.
8% abv

Nice hoppy nose with a bit of bubblegum in the flavor, and a crisp finish.

Being Belgian Beer Dinner

Great way to spend a Tuesday evening.  I'll post photos and as much detail as I can tonight, then update with details later.

Pre

Front row seats, oh yeah!

Wine

Wine club tasting tonight.  I know folks will be surprised that I drink things other than beer...