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All Good Things Must Come To An End
How about a big round of applause for those Arizona Cardinals! Sure they didn't come out the victor, but by just making it to the big game a lot of businesses around the Valley (including yours truly) got some serious media attention. How about this little segment on NBC's Today Show from last Friday as seen HERE. Don't worry, even though it's over 4 minutes long you can stop watching after about a minute... unless you enjoy watching Tiki Barber drink a "beer-gorita" with Al Roker. Quite frankly, I didn't have the stomach for it.
Our Senior Sports Championship Correspondent James Scussel was at the game Sunday and brought back his insight (and these pictures) of the momentous occasion. It's true, in honor of the 1985 Bears, he wasn't there to start no trouble, he's just there to be the Super Bowl Scussel! He breaks down the entire event for you below.
Tuesday evening we also completed yet another successful beer dinner. Serving almost 90 people it was by far the largest one we have had the pleasure of doing! We would like to thank all the people who attended and look forward to doing another one around May!
Okay, lets see what's on the agenda for this week. The Brewers Blog this time around tackles what you should be experiencing when you drink a Kilt Lifter. Kirste Walker tells me what she is currently watching on her TV box amongst other things. Jim and Jenn Scussel report back from Florida and Mike from Scottsdale passes on his best wishes from a successful week. So, in the immortal words of Jake and Elwood Blues, "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses..."
Hit It.
Your Friends at The Four Peaks Brewery and Four Peaks Grill & Tap |
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As the Four Peaks Senior
Super Bowl Correspondent, I was chosen to cover the big game last Sunday.
The Brewsletter Editors and Senior Staff were confident that as soon as
whichever NFL committee was in charge of issuing these passes (after a full
review of our Brewsletter) that we would be sitting in the proverbial catbird
seat! The Editors were correct, but my Special Assistant, Jenn, and I
found ourselves high in the mast in the crows nest of the Bucs Disney-esque
battle ship in the north endzone. But I digress.
It all started on the aeroplane from Phoenix
to Orlando. Yea, I know, the Super
Bowl was in Tampa but the Four
Peaks Travel Department is very cheap so they saved a few
bucks by sending me to friggin' Disney World. That was okay because I have a
college buddy (GO BADGERS!!) who lives in Orlando so I saved even more money by
crashing at his place...and using his vehicle, what a deal (thanks Mike and
Melissa).
On the plane we sat next to a Concert Roadie on the ever-wonderful US Air and
this clown downs numerous "Beers and a Shot" at the PHX airport
lounge and continues with 2 gin and tonics on the plane and finishes up with a
small bottle of red wine. He then passes out, snores like a baboon and we think
he had a nightmare of Judas Priest front man, Rob Halford, hitting on him.
Next, he swings his arm into the glass of red wine screaming "No Rob, No
Rob" and the wine flies all over Jenn, the Assistant to the Senior Super
Bowl Correspondent. Clean up on Row 32!! What a tool is all
I've got to say. "Dude...ma'am...I'm sooo sorry man. I thought this was
going to be a Super Bowl party flight but I was wrong. All you Cardinal fans
suck." Oh well, off to the Eagles concert tonight and then to Kenny
Chesney in Nashville.
Good riddance loser!! I wasn't about to spend $7 on a Budweiser.
Orlando was Orlando
if you know what I mean, but we had a grand old time at the famous Palm
Restaurant in the Hard Rock Hotel. We feasted on raw oysters, king crab legs,
filet mignon, chopped salad, creamed spinach, mushrooms, chocolate cake,
vintage port, etc...Thanks again Mike and Melissa and Jessie the bartender.
Well...who shows up behind us at the bar wanting some of what we got? That's
right Conan "the dirty Irishman" O'Brien and Jeff "the Fly"
Goldblum! We had to beat them away from our food and drinks but we did get a
picture in. And I hope Melissa still has a job at the restaurant after creating
pure havoc with all of the drunk Steeler fans in the back of the restaurant. We
got into quite the shouting match. But, once again, I digress.
Off to the Big Game and across Florida
we drove. When we arrived the first thing I did was pop open a tasty Hop Knot
IPA (ed. note: available by the case at either 4PBC location!) of which I
smuggled 12 in my bag to share since Iron
City beer is the worst beer ever!!
After many beers and heckling the Pasty White Steeler Fans, my Assistant and I
arrived at the Official Press Credential/Ticket Office trying to exchange our
crows nest seats for the laminated All Access Golden Press Passes. This is
where we overheard the guy next to us ask the Official for his free Super Bowl
ticket: "Sir, President Obama is going to pay for my gas and my mortgage
this month so I figured he could get us into the Super Bowl. So
like...where's my ticket dude?"
Everyone had a good laugh and he was dutifully sent on his way. They also sent
me on my way as well with no Golden Press Pass. Thanks Tim for not making this
a "credible" and "sophisticated" newsletter. Don't
blame me, that's what they told me.
We finally get into the stadium after an hour of switch-back lines and watching
more crazed Steeler fans. Do they have showers in Pittsburgh?
Fitness Centers? I know they have beauty salons because I did see a lot of that
1980's "give me back my t-shirt" Wedding Singer "big poofy
hair". And what's with the giant gold earrings? I swear it was about 100
to 1 Steelers fan v. Cardinals fan. It would have been a great time to be
pillaging homes in Pittsburgh...actually
not...they have nothing to pillage. Okay...enough Steeler bashing but they do
need some sun because I haven't seen white pasty skin this intense since the Michelin Man.
And what's with the Pauly (from Rocky fame) hats with the greasy curly hair
flowing out the sides with black and yellow fingernail polish (and don't forget
the cigarillo chewed to a wretched mess)?
Our seats were great, Faith Hill is hot, Jennifer Hudson has a great voice,
Springsteen still rocks at 59, lost my voice, and the game sucked because the
Cardinals lost. Actually, it was an awesome game as you and 151 million others
know so I don't need to relive the drama. After the game, we wandered back to
the car and played beer/single malt scotch pong with a bunch of Cardinal fans
until the parking lot emptied. Mike drove back to Orlando
(thanks Mike) and we flew out Monday without incident. Let's hope this becomes
a yearly Pilgrimage for us Cards and Vikes fans and you tell me: Roethlisberger
or Brady? That seems to be the big post-game question. Who really cares??
Seacrest OUT!! I can say that...I'm big time now!
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5 Questions With The Kirste Walker...
Today we take a quick walk through server alley and spend some time with Kirste Walker. Her humble beginnings at Four Peaks began on a chilly day in 2006, and by chilly in late October I mean somewhere  around 95 degrees. In between a nonstop work and school schedule, she finds time to relax with a delicious Four Peaks beverage when it counts... the weekend. It was at just such a time that I cornered the blonde spitfire known as Kirste. Equal parts witty and down to earth, she's got just the right amount of street smarts and sass earned the hard way from being raised on the mean streets of rural Montana. Yup, that dog eat dog environment where you have to keep your head on a swivel or be struck down in the prime of your life via a drive-by Glaciation. It might not be pretty folks, but you'll grow up fast! Won't you join me for a pleasant fireside (i.e. under a propane heater under 314) chat with Ms. Walker...server, student, glacier survivor! The Brewsletter: Well Ms. Walker, it's a pleasure to sit down and spend a moment with you in this forum I call The 5 Questions Kirste Walker: It's my pleasure anonymous Four Peaks Brewsletter Reporter Person. TB: No, I insist, it is not only a pleasure but an honor on my part to share this time with you... I mean you're a legend! You come from an even smaller town than myself! I just want to say, my favorite of all Montana's counties is by far Petroleum County with its population of 470. Those have to be some hearty souls! Oh well, I'm just rambling, are you ready for a few questions? KW: Yes, anonymous Brewsletter Reporter Person, I am ready. 
1. Which is your
favorite Four Peaks
beer of all time?
The Hopknot... although I do love the Pumpkin Porter and the Hopsquatch
2. Quick, what have you
been watching on your DVR lately... and don't lie because I have my ways of
finding out! Oh yeah, you must defend
your answer(s).
Sober House - I don't know why really. It's just fascinating watching people try to recover in front of the whole world. The Office - Need I say more?!? 3. Which Four Peaks entrée
do you consider your fall back when you can't decide what you are hungry for?
The hummus most likely, but a grilled cheese with tomato and avocado runs a very close second 
4. Where is your favorite place (aside from the Brewery or
Grill and Tap) to have a Four Peaks
Beverage. Why is this so?
Casey Moore's, Monkey Pants or my own backyard! All are good places to enjoy any beverage of choice.
5. Montana ranks 3rd nationally in craft breweries
per capita (behind Vermont and Maine respectively), on an unrelated topic, do you prefer Montana winters or Phoenix summers? Do
explain. Oh man!! I'm gonna say the Phoenix summers. Although hot and, at times, miserable, nothing can beat the tank tops, shorts and late night pool parties. Montana winters just drag on forever! TB: I thank you for your time and trouble. This has been a real treat, I mean you are a true survivor! I've known more than a few people who have gone to Montana never to be seen or heard from again. I mean, wow! Devil's Island, Alcatraz, rural Montana...those are the Big Three! (This caricature of Montana was totally done in fun and is in no way meant to belittle the accomplishments of all the fine people in the Greater Montana area, thanks for playing along!)
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The Brewers Blog
It's time for another installment of "What The Hell Am I Tasting".
This week it's our flagship beer, Kilt Lifter. And, again, in the spirit of not completely
demystifying the beer we're going to keep it simple and touch on the obvious
aroma and flavor high points. You really
can overanalyze things to the point of not enjoying them, "worts" and all. Sometimes, we too, just like to have a beer.
First, a style note.
Kilt Lifter is technically a Scottish-Style Ale and specifically a Scottish-style
Export Ale. The style is marked by a
distinct malty sweetness with some burnt or smoky flavors with a strong but not
lip-numbing alcohol content of around 6%.
The high malt content is due to the abundance of barley in Scotland but
also in part to a high tax rate on hops, which were not so prevalent in the
north but abundant in England. And if it
comes from England
it will be taxed. The Scottish said,
"Fine, we'll do it our way", as they are genetically pre-disposed to do, and
there you have it, Scottish-Style Ale.
See it. Kilt Lifter has a beautiful dark copper,
almost bronze color which comes not just from the addition of caramel malt
(which gives more redness) but also the use of a small amount of roasted
barley. At this low level you get hints
of brown, at high levels you get porter and eventually stout inkiness. Again, the beer should be brilliantly clear
(bright, in brewer's parlance). Also
notice the foam (if there is no foam on your beer please have the bartender
either re-pour it or top it off. Beer
must have a head). It should be an
eggshell, off-white color and consist of tight, tiny bubbles.
Sniff it. A quick note on smelling, most of what we
perceive as flavor is actually derived from our olfactory bulb in our
sinus. On the one hand, we can actually
only perceive four tastes on our tongue; sweet, sour, bitter, and salty (some
say there is a fifth flavor; umami (savory), including us). On the other hand,
the nose can perceive thousands of compounds. Doubt it? Hold your nose then drink a beer, or better
yet, hold an onion under your nose and eat an apple, you'll swear you're eating
an onion. The nose is so effective that
it even works in reverse. After we
swallow we often breathe out through our nose and, subsequently, over our
olfactory bulb, gaining more insight into favor. A good example is that burps don't have any
flavor, yet, to us, they do.
The first impression should be of lightly toasted malt. There are no late additions of hops in Kilt
Lifter, stylistically hop aroma should be minimal to none at all. This is a good beer to show malt's distinct
aroma. It's grainy and toasty and a
little sweet, not unlike fresh bread. If
you're curious as to malt's aroma you can buy malt powder in the store. You will get a little burnt toast aroma from
the roasted barley as well. Roasted
barley is just that; it's barley that has been put into a drum roaster and cooked
at 500 degrees until a rich, black color is achieved. If you're thinking that this sounds a lot
like coffee then you get a gold star; same process, same chemical reactions,
and, not surprisingly, some of the same flavors. Next, we get fruit, specifically apricots or
dried apricots. This is an ester that is
unique to our proprietary strain of ale yeast and you'll get this aroma in all
of our more malty beers. Fruity aromas
are really a signature of ales that you won't find in most lagers. Remember, there are thousands of aromatic
compounds in beer, these are just the obvious ones in this beer.
Sip it. Actually, take a good pull (we just needed an
"s" word for continuity), nobody sips beer, it's meant to be taken by the
mouthful. Notice the same flavors that
we anticipated from our nose; toasty, malty, a little sweet, some light coffee
or tea and maybe some smoky burnt flavors.
You'll also notice the bitterness is there but not overpowering. Remember, good ales are always balanced. You may also notice some heat once you
swallow. That's the alcohol which has a
distinct flavor but in most beers it's perceived in a tactile way. That is, as heat or as body (higher alcohol
contents will give greater mouthfeel). You
should notice, as well, the carbonation which lends some acidity.
Repeat. Repeat. Re-order.
That's as far as we'll go with this one. It's no fun being told what you should
perceive in a beer. Go out and trust you
nose.
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The Grill & Tap Dispatch
with Mike Kruchko
I've decided that after the LONG week that has passed, that
I would kinda take the week off, regroup and let everyone enjoy the writings of our esteemed Brewers as well as Mr. Timothy "Hemingway" Neuman. That being said, the group at the Grill &
Tap would like to take a quick moment and thank everyone that stopped by and
hung out during the FBR Open as well as Super Bowl Sunday. We had a great time during the festivities
and hope that everyone had a wonderful time as well. The whole week was a great success!
Before I bid you ado for the week however, I did have
someone ask me how my so called "bold" predictions turned out. So just for s***'s and giggles, let's see if your
boy even came close? My call for the FBR Open was a virtual unknown in one
Brian Gay. With only one career win
which came in Cancun last year, anyone that
knew golf called me crazy. That being
said he was in third place after the second round; went into the final day just
off the lead and finished in sixth.
Doesn't quite make me Nostradamus, but I'll take it considering the
field was out of 132 players.
As for the Super Bowl?
Well, since every man, woman and child have recapped the game over and
over since Sunday; I'll save you the headache of hearing it again. But, let's just say if "Worthlessberger"
didn't pull that last TD out of his ass, I would have been right on. I guess calling a 23-20 Super Bowl and being
35 seconds away from hitting it on the nail, would have been pretty cool, but
my future as Jimmy the Greek is going to have to be put on hold. More importantly though, win or lose we hope
everyone had a great time, enjoyed the experience and drank some great beer...I
know we sure did!
Well, have a great week; we'll be back next time with
some great info on the subatomic physics of beer...or something in that general
ballpark!
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CASK-CONDITIONED AND SEASONALS
IN SCOTTSDALE AND TEMPE THIS WEEK
Raj I.P.A.: Yes, the Raj India Pale Ale is going to be available at both locations this week. Make sure you come in soon, they don't last long! SEASONAL DU JOUR (Coming this March)
A Belgian-Style Strong Dark Ale: Name to be decided in the coming weeks, we'll keep you posted
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A Few Parting Words... Well there you have it, another peek into the wonderful world of your local Brewpub. Next week we'll be gearing up for our Valentine's Day dinner, discuss a little about the upcoming Scottish Highland Games and finally get off the topic of football for about 6 more months! Once again, don't forget to purchase your tickets to the 9th Annual Strong Beer Festival being held at the Mesa Amphitheater on Saturday, February 28th. Doors open at 2 pm for regular guests, get yourself a VIP pass and get in at 1 pm...treat yourself, you deserve it! Don't forget that next Wednesday is Cheese Puff Day at our Tempe location. Feel free to come in and enjoy them for lunch, dinner or as a late night snack...we know what you crave! History flows forward on rivers of beer.
- Anonymous 
Looks Like There Was A Discount at the Swedish TJ Maxx Men's Aisle...
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