Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Spanish Peaks Beers

Man, the Spanish Peaks brewery of Montana put out some excellent beers, so I was disappointed to find out that they are no longer in business. Still, there's always change in the beer business with brewers occasionally moving around, so perhaps these quality beers are still out there somewhere under different names or will return someday. Until then, I'll have to rely on some fond memories and my old notes on these beers.

Spanish Peaks Black Dog Ale
Beer score: 7.7

An amber lager with some kick. Wet and soothing going down the throat with a strong bitterness as it glides over the tongue. The first sip had a touch of sweet way in the back, but that disappeared quickly. This was a darn good beer.

Spanish Peaks Black Dog Sweetwater Wheat Ale
Beer score: 7.0

Had a clean, sturdy bitterness and some carbonation. A good cigar beer with hints of sweetness.

Spanish Peaks Honey Raspberry Ale
Beer score: 6.6

This one had too much carbonation for me, but it also had a nice berry taste that was not overly sweet with a touch of bitter.

Spanish Peaks Porter
Beer score: 7.1

Strong and bitter, almost to the level of a weaker stout. The burnt maple taste was there but not overpowering as it is in some porters. Went down fairly easy. One of the better porters I've had the please to try over the years.

Spanish Peaks White Ale
Beer score: 8.8

A light, slightly sweet beer with some texture and flavor reminiscent of a Belgian lambic. In other words, it felt and tasted something like a cider. The bottle said this fine ale was made with "orange peel, coriander, and black pepper."