Thursday, February 21st, 2019

Craft Beer Crosscut 2.21.19: A Flight of Rainy Daze

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You know the story. Longtime homebrewer Mike Montoney scores a brew system from closed Battenkill Brewing of Poulsbo, apprentices on a professional with Brad Ginn and Mark Hood of Sound Brewery, goes on to brew awarding-winning craft beers under the Rainy Daze Brewing brand. The story received another hit of joy when Rainy Daze’s Goat Boater IPA won Peaks and Pints’ Tournament of Beer: Washington State IPAs in 2017. Tonight, Peaks and Pints pairs Rainy Daze craft beer with Girl Scout Cookies, as well as host the can release party for Rainy Daze Pusherman IPA. In celebration of tonight’s festivities, we present an all-day flight of Rainy Daze beer that we call Craft Beer Crosscut 2.21.19: A Flight of Rainy Daze.

Craft Beer Crosscut 2.21.19: A Flight of Rainy Daze

Rainy Daze Baltic Porter

8.1% ABV, 20 IBU

It’s a lesser-seen style of beer that originated in the region surrounding the Baltic Sea, and it shares traits of both ales and lagers. Being a porter, it’s akin to ales; however, it’s fermented with lager yeast and allowed to condition and mature for several weeks, much like a lager. Rainy Daze Baltic Porter spent 14 weeks in the tank emerging with a beautiful tan head and velvet mouthfeel. Expect notes of chocolate, dried fruit and coffee.

Rainy Daze Blonde

4.8% ABV, 25 IBU

The blonde ale is an American style that emerged as alternative to premium U.S. lagers. It’s really a catch-all category of light-bodied, light-colored ales (styles like the cream ale and Kölsch loosely fall into such a description). As the name indicates, the blonde ale is clear golden to straw color, which Rainy Daze Blonde follows suit. This blonde is crisp with low hoppy bitterness. It’s slightly malty, sometimes described as being slightly sweet and perfumey, but overall it’s a balanced beer that’s clean.

Rainy Daze Sunrise Coffee Porter

6% ABV, 30 IBU

Looking for the perfect beer for your mug? This coffee porter may be it. Sunrise Coffee Porter is brewed by chill brewmaster Mike Montoney at his Rainy Daze Brewing Co. in Poulsbo, Washington. The pour is on the dark chestnut brown side, and the smell of coffee hits your nose from the start. And the coffee doesn’t finish there — this beer hits your mouth with delicious coffee notes while finishing smooth and sweet. It’s well balanced and drinkable.

Rainy Daze Test Drive Amber

5% ABV

Rainy Daze grabbed a silver medal at the 2017 Washington Beer Awards for its Test Drive Amber. This Northwest style Amber Ale displays a brilliantly clear light amber hue, a pleasantly floral/fruity aroma, a medium body, caramel-like malt flavors, and a pleasant lingering earthy hop bitterness.

Rainy Daze Pusherman IPA

6.2% ABV, 45 IBU

Brewed in appreciation for Rainy Daze Brewing’s executive salesperson, Ken DesMarets — a jolly man who has served the beer industry, and his fellow man, for more than 30 years — this IPA is brewed with Pilsner and Maris Otter malts for a smooth drinking IPA. The Poulsbo brewery uses Cryo Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe during initial and late kettle additions with T-90 pellets during the second drop. The aroma is citrus with hints of tropical fruits. The taste is bitter with strong taste of white grapefruit and then mellows out into some combination of tropical fruits with a somewhat bitter finish.