It’s great to see good ale coming out of Utah. Uinta Brewing Company has been brewing solid beer since 1993.
In 2010 they released a series of beers called the Crooked Line. Each beer is offered in 750ml bottles, is corked, and is intended to be shared like a bottle of wine. There are currently five beers that are part of the Line. All are boldly flavored and fairly high in alcohol content. For added flair UBC had a different local artist design a special graphic for each of the five beers.
I was in the mood for an IPA so I picked up their Detour Double IPA, but couldn’t resist trying the other sitting right next to it, Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin, even though the time for fall seasonals is pretty much over.
I ended up trying the pumpkin first, mainly because I had never seen an imperial pumpkin; let alone one that’s been aged in oak barrels! I also thought it was pretty creative to come up with a pumpkin beer that had an ABV of 10.31% (October 31st). The ale poured a nice reddish amber color. First impression based on smell was good. You definitely get the oak right away with hints of the fall spices used during  brewing. Taste was very smooth. Flavors from the barrels used during aging really carry this beer.  The pumpkin wasn’t over powering either (which is one reason why I’m easily turned off by pumpkin ales). I actually started to notice it more as I drank it, but ended up liking that. All in all this is a very good fall, seasonal beer.
After the 22 of 10.31% ABV I decided to wait to the next night to try the Double IPA. Glad I did, because at 9.5% ABV it got me feeling good too.
I’d have to say the IPA was my favorite of the two. The smell from the pour filled my kitchen right away so I knew it would probably be tasty. The citrusy, fruity smell was accompanied by a huge head. That made for some great photos, but also made me impatient when I was shooting it. First sip was exactly what I expected. This beer has a very citrusy profile. Four kinds of hops made for a great IPA. There was a nice bitterness that lingered for a bit, but faded to a nice dry finish.
I’ll definitely be trying some more of the Crooked Line beers.
-Robin