An Exclusive Sneak Peek at Sonoran 200
While Sonoran Brewing Company makes a number of highly regarded brews, including Inebriator Stout and Burning Bird Pale Ale, their distribution has been limited to their home state of Arizona and, of all places, Wisconsin. As if the latter didn’t already have enough good beer that it isn’t sharing with anyone else…
When Sonoran 100 (19.5% ABV, 9-week ferment, filtered through toasted maple and oak chips) came out a few years ago to celebrate the brewery’s 100th batch at their Pinnacle Peak location, the beer’s limited distribution through Michael Jackson’s Rare Beer Club was the first opportunity for many people outside of Arizona and New Glarus Land to sample Scott Yarosh’s work. Three years later, the Beverage Bistro is offering a similar opportunity to try their latest release.
The first time I’d heard of Sonoran 200 was from Rob Imeson at Barclay’s Wine, back when I was researching an article on rare beer clubs. Rob’s enthusiasm in regards to the newest anniversary batch from Sonoran was far more involved and genuine than the standard hype surrounding the release of new extreme beers. Rob, for example, actually talked about how the beer tasted, and was not, to the best of my knowledge, wearing a penguin costume during our conversation.
I received a bottle of Sonoran 200 gratis via Rob and the Sonoran folks, without any sort of promise or suggestion that I would do a write-up around it. It just sort of appeared. And while I have my suspicions regarding certain websites and print publications (and their vulnerability to advertisers and the provided samples), my general approach is that, if I don’t have anything honestly kind to say, I won’t.
I’ll quietly post my reviews on Ratebeer, and that will be that.
(© Anneliese Schmidt)
Here’s the commercial description (from the bottle): “Sonoran 200 is produced from 2-Row Malt and pure Agave Nectar. We increased the Agave flavor and sweetness by infusing more Agave Nectar into the brew after the four week fermentation was complete. Then we Oak Aged the whole batch for six months, until just the right balance of Agave Nectar and Oak flavors were achieved, giving Sonoran 200 its distinctive characteristics.” In other words, the only similarities between this and the 100 are that they’re both ~19.5% ABV and oak-aged.
For the holiday weekend, my wife and I traveled back to northern Nevada to visit family, bringing along a cooler of Russian River growlers and various bottles that we were afraid would get lonely back in NorCal. Family-coping mechanisms, let’s say. We opened up the bottle of Sonoran 200 shortly before Christmas dinner.
My own personal opinion towards the original Sonoran 100 (sampled courtesy of a friend during a beer-centric camping excursion to Shenandoah National Park) was not dissimilar from many others’: generous, challenging, and packing some heat. The Sonoran 200 is, by both intention and result, something quite different.
(© Anneliese Schmidt)
The murky, minimally carbonated brew looks much like a liqueur in the glass, and provides an aroma of maple syrup and soft brown sugar; minimal alcohol comes through. This neither smells nor tastes like anything close to 19.37%, even when it’s allowed to warm to room temperature. The agave, seemingly, provides what I’d describe as a slightly foreign berry and floral character; the beer as a whole hearkens strongly to a pleasantly oxidized barley wine: loads of caramel, very minimal bitterness, plenty of dark fruits and vanilla and light sherry notes. I found no obvious seams here, no roughness in the presentation, and perhaps the two most prominent takeaway notes are the lack of overt alcohol (even at higher temperatures) and the surprisingly toasty dryness in the finish: both excellent, encouraging signs.
My full review and tasting notes are available here.
It’s worth noting that nearly all of this bottle was polished off before dinner (I had help). And while I wanted to sample it with a fresh palate, this is recommended to serve as more of a fireside cordial than any sort of aperitif. It also, like a sweeter gewurztraminer or riesling, should pair well alongside many spicier dishes.
Sonoran 200 will be distributed both locally and through the Barclay’s Wine and Beverage Bistro website. Bottles are priced at $36.95 + shipping through the latter, slightly discounted when purchasing multiple bottles. Those who already placed orders through Beverage Bistro will likely see their bottles before the end of the year, while local distribution is expected to begin on January 23rd. There are also tentative plans in the works for a local release party with Stogie Cutter cigar bar in Gilbert, AZ, and I’ll post details below as they become available.
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Thanks are in order to Layrd Mahler at Sonoran Brewing Company and Rob Imeson at Barclay’s Wine for their contributions and input to this article.
3 Comments to “An Exclusive Sneak Peek at Sonoran 200”
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Any idea on how many bottles will be released this time around? Who’s distributing it in AZ? There hasn’t been a lot of chatter about the beer around here (AZ)?
I was told 1,900 bottles, 500 of which are currently allotted for the Beverage Bistro. They’ll get more depending on how things sell. I haven’t any idea about the local distribution.
Craig, if you hear anything about the Sonoran 200 release or local distribution info, feel free to share it here.
World Class Beverages will be distributing this product, as we do with all Sonoran products, in Arizona. The plans for a release at Stogie Cutters are finalized. The event will be held on January 9th. The plans are to charge an admission charge which will get the attendee, two cigars, food, a sample of Sonoran 200, as well as a full bottle to take home. Their will be other Sonoran products available for purchase as well. I have had the opportunity to sample the beer throughout the fermentation and aging process and it is very good. The additional aging it has received has improved it a good bit.