Juli Goldenberg / Monkey Paw / Stone 24 Carrot Golden Ale (Video)

Earlier this year, 27 talented participants vied for the prize: the opportunity to have their imaginative creation brewed on Stone’s large-scale, 120-barrel brewing system and distributed nationally. After AHA members submitted selections for a top pick, a panel of judges—Stone co-founders Steve Wagner and Greg Koch, Craft Beer Ambassador “Dr.” Bill Sysak, and members of Stone’s Small Batch Team and Quality Assurance Department—spent a great deal of time and deliberation making sure the blue ribbon went to the most deserving of the bunch. In the end, Goldenberg’s carrot cake-framed Belgian ale earned the top honors, making her the first female brewer to win the competition.

“If we followed Juli’s exact recipe, more than 10,000 pounds of shredded carrots would have been needed per batch,” explains Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele. “That’s a heck of a lot of carrots! Luckily, we were able to source locally produced carrot juice concentrate of amazing quality that has a bright orange color and lots of fermentable sugars, which contributed to a final result that tastes just like carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.”

When formulating her creation, Goldenberg relied on unconventional brewing ingredients to emulate the rich, complex characters of this dessert. The malt bill provides a perfect backbone for the special ingredients to shine through, while the hops contribute enough bitterness to balance the multitude of flavors and aromas. Raisins, carrots and milk sugar were incorporated during the brewing process, giving way for a medium body that’s creamy and smooth. Vanilla beans and cinnamon were added after fermentation to replicate aroma and taste similar to cream cheese frosting.

“This has been a great opportunity and I really enjoyed working with the Stone Brewing Team to re-create my recipe,” says Goldenberg. “Since Monkey Paw Head Brewer Cosimo Sorrentino is a good friend of mine and a San Diego brewer I truly respect, he was the first person I thought of when asked who should be the third collaborator. Plus, with his culinary background, Cosimo is adept at marrying characteristics of food and beer, a trait that comes in handy when brewing a carrot cake-flavored ale!”

To fully enjoy the beer’s delectable flavors, Juli Goldenberg/Monkey Paw/Stone 24 Carrot Golden Ale should be enjoyed fresh. For those wishing to sit on a goldmine, this golden ale may also be stored at proper cellaring temperatures for several months or years. Over time, the beer will become more refined and smooth as the hop qualities subside.

Name: Juli Goldenberg/Monkey Paw/Stone 24 Carrot Golden Ale
URL: stonebrewing.com/collab/24carrot
Stats: 8.5% ABV, 40 IBUs
Availability: Limited 22-ounce bottles and draft, beginning October 5
Hops Bill: Czech Saaz, Hallertau
National Distribution: AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA and Puerto Rico
International Distribution: Australia; Alberta and British Columbia, Canada; Japan; Korea; Singapore; Sweden; and United Kingdom

Appearance: Pours golden with a creamy white head of foam.
Aroma: This beer smells like a cream cheese-frosted carrot cake, but better! Cinnamon, vanilla, light carrots and raisin, hint of banana fruitiness and Belgian yeast spice are all apparent in the aromatics.
Taste: Cinnamon and vanilla blend together upfront, followed by the spicy yeast character and a smooth creaminess that is reminiscent of cream cheese frosting. Unbelievable.
Palate: Medium bodied but creamy and smooth drinking.
Overall: This beer is really quite incredible. I wasn’t able to attend our homebrew competition at our annual American Homebrewers Association (AHA) membership rally this year. When Lead Brewer Jeremy Moynier texted me with the news that Juli’s beer won and that it was a carrot-cake beer, I was both excited and admittedly a bit skeptical…but when I tasted it, I realized we had a very special opportunity here. I’m so glad Juli, Cosimo of Monkey Paw, and our brewing team worked so well together to find a way to replicate this challenging recipe on our 120-barrel brewhouse. I’m even more impressed with the fact that we absolutely nailed it!