Beer of the Week: This One Goes to Eleven

From the Beer Writer: I love Christmas, I love Christmas beers and I love collecting (OK, hoarding) things. So, I was thrilled in 2010, when Karl Strauss Brewing released Parrot in a Palm Tree, a Baltic porter built to age for…11 years. That’s right. Though it was scrumptious drunk fresh, it was also built to enjoy in 2021. This cellar dweller was brewed as the first in a duodecet (look it up) of holiday beers dubbed the “12 Days” series. Over the years, Karl’s brewing team has released variedly creative treats through this collection, including a golden stout, triple IPA, maple breakfast stout, fruit cake beer (yes, really) and even a Great American Beer Festival medal-winning Belgian-style quadrupel that became part of the company’s core lineup. This year’s beer, This One Goes to Eleven, was inspired by a personal favorite of brewmaster Paul Segura, who loved the way wine-grape must came across in one of Karl’s long-gone anniversary ales, enough that he made it the featured ingredient of this years 12 Days specialty. An imperial red ale incorporating Cabernet Sauvignon must, it’s exotic but not outrageous. Fans of caramel and toffee reds like Karl’s Red Trolley Ale and those who enjoy hoppy imperial reds will both be happy with this creation, which smells like red fruit and cereal grains, tastes like a malty amber nicely balanced (but not overpowered) by hops, and delivers rich tannins after each swallow care of its oenological component. It’s a nice experimental beer that feels right at home on a lukewarm winter’s night in San Diego and should hold up well when it’s decanted along with its holiday-inspired cousins next December.

From the Brewer: “We’re extremely proud of this beer, the eleventh installment in our ’12 Days’ annual holiday series. We were inspired to make something very similar to my favorite all-time beer, our 21st Anniversary ale, a Belgian strong ale fermented with an old vine zinfandel grape varietal. This beer has a deep ruby-like color as well as grape jam-like flavors and aromas followed by a nice, slightly dry, French- oak finish. The sugars from the grapes, like sugars from barley and wheat, are fermentable. They contribute to a higher alcohol content while also imparting color and flavors in the finished beer. This will taste unlike any beer you’ve had before, so keep an open mind as you enjoy it. Since this beer is over 9% alcohol-by-volume, it can be ‘cellared’, meaning stored in a cool place—ideally your refrigerator—to be drunk at a later date. However, it’s perfectly fine to go ahead and enjoy it right now alongside any food that you might pair with a robust red wine. From all the brewers here at Karl Strauss, we hope you share it with friends and family, and wish you happy holidays!”—Paul Segura, Brewmaster, Karl Strauss Brewing