Kev's Beer of the Week - Deviant Dale's

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 4/6/12

Oskar Blues Deviant Dale's

Kev Rating: B+
Style: Double/Imperial IPA
ABV: 8.00%
IBUs: 85

Availability:  Spring, pretty tough to get your hands on it once it's gone
Had: 4-pack, picked up at Gordon's in Watertown
Region: Longmont, CO

Don't judge a book by it's cover.  For the longest time, beer in a can = bad (or just good for copious amounts of drinking, typically outdoors).  However, there has been a big can resurgence among craft brewers.  Oskar Blues has been all about the can since their inception in 2002 (distribution not just the brew pub (1997 if you're checking my facts)).  If you're a craft beer fan, you've probably seen their cans on the shelves - Dales Pale Ale, Old Chub, Mama's Lil' Yella Pils, GUBNA, and my favorite Ten FIDY.

I had heard rumors that Deviant Dale's would be coming our way and was very excited when I saw the email from Tom over at Gordon's!  Cracking one open, I immediately could smell the citrus & piney hops.  The first few sips, while really nice were a bit disappointing for me.  I was really looking forward to a big Double/Imperial IPA.  What I found was a low level DIPA but a really strong IPA.  I don't know if it will hold up against some of the powerhouse DIPAs I've had recently, but I would definitely pick it up again.  It's a really tasty IPA with strong bitterness and citrus & earthy hops.  I highly recommend this one, not only as a canned beer, but a solid beer overall!

Below are some of the reasons Oskar Blues is pro-can:

• Cans keep beer incredibly fresh by fully protecting it from light and oxygen
• Cans are highly portable, allowing craft beer lovers to easily enjoy great beer in places where glass bottles are not ideal or allowed: the beach, pool, boats, trails, rivers, slopes, hot tubs, bath tubs, golf courses and so on…
• Unlike cans of old, the modern aluminum can is lined with a water-based coating so beer and metal never touch, and there is no exchange of metallic flavor
• Cans are the most easily and frequently recycled beverage package in the world, free of glass breakage issues, and less fuel-consuming to ship (cans enable Oskar Blues to reduce its fuel costs and carbon footprint for shipped beer by 35%)
  • A recycled aluminum can generates 95% less pollution than one made from scratch and requires 96% less energy
  • 1 recycled can saves the energy equivalent of 6 ounces of gas, or the electricity to power a guitar amplified for 2 hours