Just in Time for True Blood

It's good to see Albuquerque has received bottles of Ommegang Brewery's Iron Throne, a Blonde Ale brewed in honor of the latest season of Game of Thrones. The latest that just ended, that is. While other markets got the beer in time for last season's premiere, we were a little behind. Kind of like with fixed gear bikes. Caught up plenty with that trend, thanks for asking. Now you can catch up with your TV-themed beers (I still haven't tried the Three Stooges or Monty Python beers, so I'm really far behind), by heading over to Jubilation and picking up one of these for $8.99. Don't forget the mead. Afterwards, shine up that cardboard sword and meet me at the park!

A number of the local breweries have brewed some really nice Saisons, and I plead with them to continue doing this. I look at the green bottles of Saison Dupont on warm liquor store shelves and am still tempted to buy a bottle, having to convince myself that the last bottle tasted like a Heineken Saison. Not the worst, but not what the brewer intended. And I am tempted to buy the beer due to the lack of Saisons available here. Odell has released Celastrina, named for the little baby butterfly frequently found on hop plants in Colorado. The beer is packages in 25.4 oz. bottles, and Jubilation has the 7.5 ABV Saison for $14.99. Hmmm. Hey, there's always Saison Dupont! But at least you know that a dollar from each bottle you buy of Celastrina goes to the Colorado Natural Heritage Program to help funding in research of the Hops Blue butterfly.

This next beer is a little tricky. Sure, it offers you the goodness of a Bourbon Barrel Stout (it's even called that, so it definitely is), but I am used to a base stout that on its has the full-bodied characteristics of an Imperial Stout. The final product after Anderson Valley ages the beer in Wild Turkey barrels comes out to 6.9% ABV. So with a lighter stout, the bourbon flavor is gonna overwhelm you like the smell from a subway (or a Subway®), right? But Anderson Valley kept the beer in barrels for three months, so you can still drink one of these at your next business lunch and still justify that gin martini afterwards. Wait, they only do that on Mad Men? Drink it at home and forget work then; $9.99 for a 22 oz. bottle at Jubilation.