BEERsimple

Don't worry, I'm alive.

2012-02-08T14:05:00.007-05:00

It's been exactly 3 months since I posted anything. I've been waiting for my camera to be repaired (it's on its way back now) and honestly, I just haven't been drinking nearly as much beer this winter as I normally do. Maybe that's a good thing, or maybe it's not. Whatever the case, once my camera gets here I plan on getting back into the swing of things. In the meantime, here are some of the beers I've been drinking since last we met...

Great Divide Hibernation Ale: My go-to fridge beer (meaning I always have some in stock) for the past few winters. It's very well balanced and has a good amount of alcohol to keep you warm. Figs and raisins, a little nutty, earthy hops, and a touch of spice. Damn tasty.

Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale: Lagunitas messed up their batch of their regular holiday beer, Brown Shugga, and so this was the solution. What they came up with is the best IPA I've ever had. First of all, the aroma is incredible. Sticking my nose in the glass was like sticking my nose into a handful of fresh hops. It's super smooth, probably from the oats used, and has a nice spice and breadiness to it, probably from the rye. The combination of the malts also helps adds some complexity that nearly perfectly balances out the citrus and pine from the hops. Like I said, best IPA I've ever had.

Thornbridge Bracia: 'Bracia' is the Celtic name for a drink once brewed in Iron Age Europe using cereal grains and honey. Thornbridge uses dark Chestnut Honey along with a diverse group of malts and hops to produce a delicious beer with flavors of chocolate, light coffee, espresso, and spicy black licorice. This was a bottle of Robin's (Good For The Palate) but I wish now that she had bought two, because this would be a good one to age.

Sixpoint Diesel: Not sure if this is a stout or a black IPA, but I'd say a little bit of both. Less hoppy than most black IPA's and definitely more malty, but thicker, richer, and creamier like a stout. Either way, it's good stuff.

Nøgne Ø Imperial Brown Ale: Chocolate, dark roasted malt, nutty, with a bit of coffee and caramel.

Great Divide Belgian Yeti: Pretty good. Noticeably different from the other Yeti varieties, obviously from the Belgian yeast used, but just didn't quite hit the mark for me when compared to the Espresso Oak Aged Yeti (my favorite of the Yeti series).

Ass Kisser Porter Pounder: Delicious smoked porter. Not over the top with the smoke.

Elysian Bifrost Winter Ale: Not bad. Reminded me a bit of Bell's Winter Ale but with slightly less sweetness and hops.

Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye: If you're into rye beers, this is one you could drink regularly and never get sick of. I love rye in beer, and as delicious as some are, I couldn't drink them every day. Ruthless Rye is almost like Sierra's regular Pale Ale, minus some hops and plus some rye malt. Good balance.

Flying Dog Wildeman Farmhouse IPA: Not too long ago, Flying Dog did a special 25th Anniversary beer for Bierproeflokaal In De Wildeman in Belgium. It was an IPA with Citra hops and fermented with saison yeast. It was delicious. Flying Dog recently added a new version of Wildeman to their year-round lineup (their first since Raging Bitch a few years ago). They must have changed the recipe, because I'm not as much of a fan of this as the original. The new Wildeman is good, more saison-like than the original, sweeter, and more unbalanced. Not bad, just too different from the original to impress me.

What was I drinking?

2011-11-08T15:09:00.003-05:00

I haven't been as active with the blog or even with Twitter since my camera died. I never realized how much photography was the reason I blog, apart from just wanting to talk and spread the word about craft beer. I didn't get the camera repaired because I want to put the money towards a new camera instead, and I haven't bought a new one because I'm going a little more high end and need the cash first. Maybe I'll get a Christmas bonus this year. Anyway, the first 5 photos below are the last few I hadn't posted before the camera took a crap. Everything else is from my iPhone. Cheers!

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum
Big beers deserve big glasses. I've only seen one bottle of Hoptimum ever, and it's the one I bought, photographed, and then consumed. Beautiful color. Delicious beer.

Lagunitas Censored
Easy drinking, but tasty. Great for summer cookouts.

New Belgium Lips of Faith La Folie 2010
AWESOME sour brown ale.

Founders Centennial IPA
Founders... nuff said.

Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous
A Black IPA from before the term "Black IPA" was created. Or maybe Stone just didn't want to call it that. Whatever. It's one of the best one's out there.

Bell's Kalamazoo Stout
Not bad, not amazing. Nothing compared to their Expedition Stout.

Cape Ann Brewing Fisherman's Imperial Pumpkin Stout
Just okay. Expected more flavor as it warmed, but that never really happened.

Lagunitas Our Own Bavarian-Styled Doppel Weizen
Holy hell, where did this come from?! Super duper tasty!

Left Hand Wake Up Dead Imperial Stout
Light bodied but not light on flavor or alcohol. Coffee, chocolate, licorice and raisin. Great flavors. Little bit of an alcohol burn as it warms up.

Sixpoint Autumnation
From a can, just so-so. Tallboy cans, so it's good for a party, cookout, or tailgate. I had this on draft at Punk's and it was delicious. I know they say cans don't affect the flavor of beer, but I find that there is a bigger deviation in flavor when comparing canned to draft than there is with bottle to draft. The inside of the can may be lined, but the outside of the can where your lips and mouth can touch aren't, so how can they truly say cans don't affect flavor? Sorry, not a bash on Sixpoint, I still love their beers, just making a side note about canned craft beer.

Birra del Borgo My Antonia
Refreshing, but lighter in body than the Dogfish version and not a well rounded or bold in flavor. Plus, the bottle is only a 12 oz where Dogfish comes in 750 mL's.

Nøgne Ø Red Horizon
Amber colored ale fermented with sake yeast. Sweet flavor, lots of fruit... fig, raisin, cherry, plum maybe. Interesting...

Lost Abbey Judgment Day Ale
Bottle given to me by Tatiana from A Strong Fuggly Brew. Very nice quad.

Upright Brewing Four
Extremely refreshing and lightly sour saison. Picked this up while in Portland for the 2012 Beer Blogger's Conference. One of the beers I was the most excited about to try, and it didn't disappoint. I have a bottle of Five waiting in the fridge...

Peak Organic Hop Noir
Pretty good Black IPA. Not the hoppiest or boldest I've had, but well balanced and easy to drink. I wish it came in 12 oz bottles and not just bombers.

Hitachino Nest White Ale
I'm picky when it comes to wit-style or wheat beers. I usually only drink Allagash White when I'm in that mood. But Hitachino Nest's White Ale is every bit as good as Allagash. It's a little smoother on the tongue, less prickly in carbonation, and with a touch more fruit and sweetness. Only problem is, I can't get 4-packs of it like I can with Allagash, I have to buy individual bottles.

Bell's Java Stout

2011-10-17T14:54:00.001-04:00

I don't feel like writing today. This beer tastes good. Go try it.

Bell's Expedition Stout

2011-10-14T20:48:00.002-04:00

Black with a creamy brown head. Coffee and chocolate aroma with an alcohol bite. Flavor is dark chocolate, espresso, roasted nuts, and brown sugar. There is a light smokiness as well. Insanely delicious, thick and creamy. Was I really tasting a bit of chili pepper or was it just the alcohol? I really wish I could have known how good this was going to be, because I would have bought more than just one bottle.

Bell's Week derailed

2011-10-05T10:50:00.002-04:00

My camera died. I think I managed to save some of the photos and will do posts for whatever I have left. In retrospect I should have gone with my initial plan which was to photograph and write up all 7 beers ahead of time, then post one each day. Posts will be less frequent for a little while after this since I do have a camera I can borrow but won't always have immediate access to it. Bummer.

On the upside, I'm excited about Baltimore Beer Week. I've already got my VIP ticket for the Real Ale Festival and will probably be heading to Pratt Street Ale House tomorrow for their opening event where they'll release the Stillwater/Brewer's Art collaboration, Smoked Belgian Porter as well as The Big D, Bishop's Indulgence, and The Darkness. That starts at 8pm following the Opening Tap Celebration at Rams Head Live.

Bell's Pale Ale

2011-10-01T02:46:00.000-04:00

My paying job kept me busy the past two days, but here's day 4 of Bell's Week, featuring their Pale Ale. Not super hoppy. Carbonation bites just a tiny bit but it's actually pretty smooth going down. Pale malts... almost more like a kolsch than a pale ale, only with a touch of earthy bitterness and wildflowers on the nose. Dry finish, and refreshing, this would make a good summer beer for those of you that don't prefer a ton of hops.

Bell's Winter White Ale

2011-09-28T23:09:00.002-04:00

Bell's Week, Day 3... Winter White Ale. This beer has a beautiful golden orange color. Aroma is like a Belgian golden ale, bread, yeast. Flavors are a combination lighter fruits like pear, plus some orange peel and citrus. It's sort of a muddled mix of golden ale, hefeweizen, and wheat beer. Smooth drinking, finishes slightly bitter. Expected a drier, more crisp finish. I'm not sure that this needs to be winter beer, it could fit any season really. Overall, not amazing, but definitely above average.

Bell's Oarsman Ale

2011-09-27T23:13:00.001-04:00

Next up on my unofficial Bell's Week is Oarsman Ale. It's a 4% ABV session beer. Barely any head when poured. Aroma of wheat and lemon. Taste is lightly tart and sour, with lemon, white wine, and orange, and faint but prickly carbonation. It's a mimosa... but a beer at the same time! No aftertaste. This one certainly isn't amazing, but it's refreshing enough and low enough in alcohol to be good during the summer. I'm still sort of wondering if I got a bad bottle. I was expecting more considering it comes from Bell's, but then again, no one can do everything perfectly.

Bell's Amber Ale

2011-09-26T22:03:00.002-04:00

Based on my experience, many amber ales tend to be rather tasteless. Most craft brewed amber ales aren't bad per se, but they're rarely exciting. Bell's Amber is a welcome exception. This beer hits you with a sweet, malty, and just slightly hopped aroma. It has a rich copper color. The taste is a perfect balance of malt (pale, caramel... with flavors of bread and nuts) and hops (grassy, bitter, very light pine). It starts off a little sweet and finishes just slightly bitter. Creamy body, soft carbonation, easy to drink, and thirst quenching. I haven't had a Bell's Amber since last summer, and I'd almost forgotten how much I like it.

Beer Geek Brunch Weasel

2011-09-08T07:17:00.004-04:00

Some of you may already know the dirty details about this, but for those of you that don't, here's the deal. Beer Geek Brunch gets its WEASEL twist because it is brewed with Civet coffee. The civet is a small mammal native to Southeast Asia that includes coffee berries as part of its diet. You can probably guess where this is going now. In the stomach, enzymes seep into the beans making shorter peptides and freeing up more amino acids. Then they pass through the intestines and are... released. The beans are gathered, washed, sun dried, lightly roasted, and used to brew a very aromatic coffee with much less bitterness than regular coffee. Kopi luwak (the Malaysian name for civet coffee) is one of the most expensive in the world. Mikkeller has sourced theirs from Vietnam, where is it known as caphe cut chon, or fox-dung coffee.

Beer Geek Brunch Weasel smells like coffee, but it's sweeter, nuttier, creamier, and not as dry or bitter as regular coffee. I got a whiff of maple syrup as well. There's a lot going on flavor wise: multiple types of chocolate, caramel, coffee, espresso, a little vanilla. Very slight alcohol burn on the tongue but not in the aroma. It's thick but smooth and rather easy to drink. Not sure if I'd drink a whole one by myself though. I shared this with Robin from Good for the Palate, for breakfast of course. Very delicious beer. We enjoyed it a lot.

Beer Bloggers Conference, day 2

2011-08-20T12:28:00.028-04:00

Things kicked off on Saturday morning with a panel featuring 'industry' bloggers Michael Busman of New Belgium, Matt Van Wyk of Oakshire Brewing (Portland), and Ryan Ross of Karl Strauss. The three guys explained how their blogs came to be and how they utilize them now. New Belgium uses their blog not just as a sound-off for news, but to talk about events and company culture. Oakshire uses WordPress to host their blog, which also serves as their website. This is a great solution for smaller breweries who maybe don't have the budget for a webmaster position or to hire an outside company. This also makes it easy for multiple employees to log in and post, providing a more intimate view of the company. Ryan took things further and talked not just about blogging, but other ways social media can benefit a brewery, how they can work with local bloggers, and even delved into what they can and can't do from a legal standpoint when it comes to what they post.

Some of the points from the first session played very well into the second, Working with your Local Brewery. This session featured Bill Manley, Communications Director at Sierra NevadaM, Ashley Routson aka The Beer Wench, Ben Edmunds of Breadkside Brewery, and Ben Love of Hopworks Urban Brewery (and also President of the Oregon Brewer's Guild). I took away the most from The Wench, as she explained how her hobby as a blogger led to a paying job in the industry doing social media for Bison Brewing. Even putting aside the desire to work in the industry, you can really help promote your local craft beer community by getting involved; get a part time job serving or bartending at a local beer bar, volunteer to pour at beer festivals, volunteer your time to help with any events your local breweries might be having. Simply put, the more you get involved, the more you get back. And, in most cases, the people you work with will notice the skills you have and it could very well turn into a job opportunity. Don't forget, your time at the very least will usually get you some free beer!

We were on our own for lunch from 11:30-1:30. I'd had breakfast and wasn't all that hungry yet, so I worked on my post on BBC11 Day 1 for about an hour before walking a few blocks over to Spirit of 77 for a PDX Beer Week brunch.

Spirit of 77 beer brunch menu featuring Double Mountain Brewery and Hopworks Urban Brewery, presented by PDX Beer Week:

I started with the Batch 1000 and the Red Rye. The cured salmon was delicious, and the malt and dryness of the Batch 1000 complimented it extremely well. The chicken wings arrived as soon as I finished the salmon. Let me just say, I wish all wings were like this. The sauce was not heavy; it was as it said, glazed, rather than slathered. I really liked the Red Rye, and although it was great for washing down the last bites of meat, I didn't think it actually added anything as a pairing.

I sat licking my fingers for a minute or two after I finished the wings, and when the lovely bartendress came over and asked if I wanted something else, I had to go for the Survival Stout with braised bacon. Best decision I ever made. The bacon wasn't just bacon. It was slab a few inches square, and at least an inch and a half thick. The egg was perfectly cooked and had been trimmed into a nice little circle and placed on top of the bacon. When I cut through the fat layer of the bacon, the rest began to fall apart. I took a bite. Wow! I can't describe how delicious it was. The apple cider and maple syrup added a nice sweetness to everything, including the egg, without being too over the top. I got 2/3 of the way through before I realized I had a beer to go with it.

I took a sip of the Survival Stout and realized at this point that I was having the best breakfast ever. This '7-grain' stout is brewed with Portland's Stumptown Coffee. It does not have the vanilla or espresso flavors nor the creaminess of many other "breakfast" style stouts. Instead, Survival Stout is crisp and dry, with just the right amount of bitterness. You could say it's more of a black coffee drinker's breakfast beer, something to pep you up rather than weigh you down. There is nothing better than bacon, eggs, and coffee in the morning, especially when your coffee comes as part of a beer.

I didn't finish lunch until right around the time the 1:30 panel, Lessons from Portland as a Beer (and Beer Blogging) City was starting, so I took my time walking back to the hotel. Unfortunately, my afternoon came to a halt as I started having blurred, tunnel vision, which signals a migraine. [I get a few migraines a year and it tends to be before, during or after large or frequent pressure changes, like the ones that lead up to a huge thunderstorm or that you might experience while flying or visiting an unfamiliar climate.] When I got back to my room I took my medicine (thankfully I had it with me) and passed out. I slept right through the next two panels, Blogging About (and Changing) Beer Laws and The Beer Steward program from the Master Brewers Association of the Americas. I woke up in time for Live Beer Blogging but was so out of it I could hardly function, and had to skip it as well. I didn't mind missing the other panels too much, but missing the Live Beer Blogging was a huge bummer. Just to explain, the Live Beer Blogging session is where everyone tastes 8 beers from 8 breweries in a round-robin, speed-dating format, and tweets or immediately posts their thoughts to their blog.

At 6:30 we headed to the west side of the river, the central downtown area of Portland for dinner and tours at BridgePort Brewing Company. We were provided a private room, open bar, and a surprisingly delicious buffet of food. Brew Master Jeff Edgerton stopped in to talk about the brewery and thank us all for being such a strong force in the craft beer community. During dinner I had the Hop Czar, which is an Imperial IPA based on BridgePort's original IPA recipe. For dessert there was a delicious raspberry purée and apple crisp with fresh made whipped cream. A tour was just about to start when I finished dessert, so I ran to the bar, grabbed a Cafe Negro coffee porter from the nitro tap and joined up with the group.

I certainly appreciate the opportunity to tour a brewery any chance I get, but I tend not to pay attention on quick tours like the one we had, because I hear a lot of stuff I already know about the actual brewing process. I think everyone was pretty much in the same boat. We were really given a guided "viewing" of the brewery. Just a couple little tidbits I did take away... BridgePort does over 100,000 barrels a year; they have a dedicated lab for testing yeast and shelf life; they have an average of 1000 people go through the brewpub in a single day and can kill over 40 kegs in a week; they have one small dumpster for trash that only gets emptied twice a week, everything else get's recycled including the water and grains. Pretty cool.

After leaving BridgePort, we took buses to McMenamins Bagdad Theater for the premier of The Love of Beer, a documentary about women in the beer industry by Alison Grayson, starring Bend Brewing's Tonya Cornett and Sarah Pederson of Saraveza and featuring Teri Fahrendorf of Great Western Malting, Lisa Morrison of Beer Goddess, Gayle Goschie of Goschie Farms, and Amy Welch of Lucky Labrador. The movie not only offered a look into their roles in the Oregon craft beer community but also their personal lives and background. I thought it was very well done and would love to see it screened elsewhere or see sequels based on other beer communities. After the movie, Rogue sponsored buses to take us back to the hotel, and we each got a grab bag with stickers, literature, a Rogue yo-yo, a bottle opener, and a bottle of Chatoe Rogue Single Malt.

Still have to write-up day 3...

Beer Bloggers Conference, day 1

2011-08-19T16:37:00.019-04:00

Before the first panel was an introduction by Julia Hertz of the Brewer's Association. She spoke about the current state of the craft beer industry, offering up a ton of facts and statistics (almost too much to absorb within her given time slot). One statistic that I found interesting is that beer sales generate just about as much money (about $101 billion) as wine ($40 billion) and spirits ($65 billion) combined. I was not all that surprised to learn that 70% of craft beer drinkers are 25-44 years old. After commenting on how beer bloggers are influencing the industry, she asked the audience what else we would like to see as craft beer continues to move forward. Answers ranged from more educated retailers, better beer on airlines and at sporting events, better beer servers, correct glassware at bars and events, more small pours or 1/2 pints.

Mid-morning snack: Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison and a pretzel necklace

Next, John Foyston of The Beer Here, an Oregon beer news website, led an open conversation with Fred Eckhardt. Fred is 82 years old and wrote his first book on brewing in 1969, before homebrewing was even re-legalized. He is the author of The Essentials of Beer Style (1989). The conversation basically consisted of Fred telling various stories from throughout his beer drinking and brewing experiences. Fred is a soft-spoken and obviously incredibly warm hearted fellow. He immediately became everyone's hero. At one point, having realized he had finished his beer, he stopped in the middle of a story and said, as if thinking out loud, "Empty glass... I have an empty glass." Towards the end of the session he said, "My favorite beer is the one in my hand. My next favorite beer is the one that's free."

John Foyston (left) & Fred Eckhardt

During the next session, Stephen Valand & Erica Shea of Brooklyn Brew Shop talked about brewing 1 gallon batches of beer. To me, this is a great idea, and one that I have already been gearing up for thanks to another couple, William Bostwick & Jessi Rymill, authors of Beer Craft, a homebrewing book based around the 1 gallon batch.

After the last panel of the day, everyone loaded on to two buses and headed into the countryside to visit Goschie Farms and tour their hop processing facility. During the trip, we sampled an altbier from Widmer, Full Sail's Session Black, IPA, and LTD 03, Chatoe Rogue Single Malt Ale, and everything from Ninkasi's new bomber 4-pack, Radiant Ale, Maiden The Shade, Nuptiale, and Total Domination IPA.

Pete from Beervana Buzz

fresh hops

a mountain of Tettnanger hops

100 lb bales of compressed hops

Following the tour, we were provided a delicious farm to table dinner consisting of fresh yellow corn, red skin potato salad, bratwurst and sauerkraut on rye bread, and a blueberry, peach and pineapple fruit salad. Beer was also provided, of course!

Standing Stone Noble Stout and Double Mountain Vaporizer

McMenamins

For dessert, there were hop brownies topped with icing and sprinkled with hop flakes. It was without a doubt the best brownie I've ever had.

We returned to the hotel late in the evening for the Night of Many Bottles. This is a special tasting event where conference participants provide all the beer, picking their favorites and letting the other attendees try them. There were easily over 100 different beers, of which I tried about 12 before deciding I needed to catch up on sleep.

New Belgium La Folie 2011

North Coast Le Merle Saison & Brother Thelonious

Beer Bloggers Conference

2011-08-19T14:51:00.005-04:00

Hi everybody, and greetings from Portland, Oregon! I'm currently relaxing in my hotel room, getting ready to kick off the 2011 Beer Bloggers Conference. There are a bunch of things happening today, including a joint keynote speech by Fred Eckhardt and John Foyston of The Beer Here, a panel on stovetop brewing, and then a tour of local hop fields and dinner courtesy of the Oregon Brewers Guild. After dinner we return to the hotel for the Night of Many Bottles, where participants bring a 6 pack of their favorite beer to share with fellow beer bloggers.

Last night there was a pub crawl and 'gentelman's club' crawl, but unfortunately I didn't make it to either one because my flights were delayed and I didn't arrive in Portland until after the bars were closed. But I kicked things off this morning with Jeff from Huck Fin's Beer Buz with breakfast at The Original.

I had a cup of Stumptown Coffee (black) to wake me up, then started the day right with a glass of Upright Brewing 'Six', a tasty rye beer...

To eat, I had the breakfast burrito, stuffed with what had to be 4 scrambled eggs, plus green chile pork with peppers, and potatoes, then topped with braised pork, cheddar cheese, and queso fresco, with a side of guacamole.

It was at least as big as a Chipotle burrito. I managed to get this far. More #BBC11 stuff to come!

Mikkeller Warrior Single Hop

2011-08-09T18:48:00.006-04:00

Even though Mikkel Borg Bjergsø wasn't the first person to brew an IPA with only one style of hops, he is possibly the one most responsible for, or at least famous for (among his many other beers) the "single hop" IPA. Warrior is one of ten varieties in his first Single Hop series that also included Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, East Kent Golding, Nelson Sauvin, Nugget, Simcoe, and Tomahawk. The series also included, or was followed by, Mikkeller 10, which was brewed with all 10 hops from the series.

The Warrior Single Hop starts with a thick, fluffy head with aromas of yeast, citrus, raisin bread, cinnamon, and a little earth. Flavors of sweet caramel, grapefruit and muscat are complimented nicely by earth and grass notes as well as a slight tartness. It's incredibly smooth and the carbonation is lively but not biting. Pretty bitter finish.

I've had the Nelson Sauvin Single Hop a few times before as well and what I like is that each of the beers are different, and that's exactly the point! Besides just being tasty, the Single Hop series is a great way to get familiar with the aromas and tastes associated with specific types of hops. Look for 5 more Single Hop IPA's from Mikkeller soon; Citra, Sorachi Ace, Summit, Apollo, and Bravo.

Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

2011-08-08T10:11:00.005-04:00

I don't know why, but despite being a hot summer, I've still been craving darker, heavier beers, especially coffee and espresso porters and stouts. The Espresso Stout from Hitachino Nest is a great beer. It pours pitch black, but you can catch a hint of dark brown at the bottom of the glass. Head is pretty thick, and I even backed down on my pour when I realized how much there was going to be. Smells of coffee and chocolate, with a little herbal, grassy note to it. This could be due to the fact that the base recipe is for a Russian Imperial Stout, and they tend to be generously hopped. Tastes like you would expect, and that's not a bad thing. A combination of sweet and dark roasted malts, black coffee and espresso, milk chocolate, plus hints of vanilla and a little cream. Not incredibly heavy, soft carbonation, and a little oily. Finishes bitter and slightly sweet just like espresso, with the tiniest bit of tobacco in the aftertaste as well. It's not perfectly balanced, but I'd say pretty close. Overall, an incredibly enjoyable beer that I will definitely have again.

De Dochter van de Korenaar

2011-07-28T14:10:00.002-04:00

Back in 2009, I had a beer called Embrasse, a very complex, Belgian strong dark ale. I didn't come across anything more from the brewer, Antwerp-based De Dochter van de Korenaar, until I was reintroduced by Brian Ewing of 12 Percent Imports at Brewvival 2010. I tried the L'enfant Terrible, a delicious sour ale. I was not a huge fan of sours before then, so I credit that particular beer with opening me up to the style. I was unsuccessful finding more of their beers back home. I even asked one of the top craft beer stores in the area if they could order some, which they said they would, but never did (disappointing). During my stay in Asheville, NC this past February, I visited Bruisin' Ales and found what I had been looking for. I grabbed one bottle each of Noblesse, Courage, Bravoure, and L'enfant Terrible.

Five months have passed, and I've gone through a lot of beer (I brought back over $500 worth from my trip). This past week, I finally got to the ones from De Dochter van de Korenaar.

Noblesse is a low-alcohol (5.5% ABV) Belgian pale ale. It has a sweet aroma, with grassy hop notes and a little funk, and is very crisp and refreshing.

Courage claims to be a dark wheat ale, but I thought it was more of a slightly sour brown ale with a hint of cherry.

Bravoure is a tasty dark ale with a rich head. It's more malty than I expected, and carries tastes of raisin and fig, plus a little spice, and also very slight nutty and smoky notes.

Noblesse, Courage, and Bravoure were good, but not amazing. I enjoyed drinking them, but have had other beers I liked more for the same price.

The bottle of L'Enfant Terrible is still in my fridge (I always save the best for last).

International #IPADay

2011-07-07T13:22:00.005-04:00

Attention all craft beer evangelists, brewers, bloggers, and suds-savvy citizens! On Thursday, August 4th 2011, you are cordially invited to participate in the largest international craft beer celebration and virtual conversation the world has ever seen.

International #IPADay is a grassroots movement to unite the voices of craft beer enthusiasts, bloggers, and brewers worldwide through social media. On Thursday August 4th, craft beer drinkers across the social sphere and across the globe will raise pints in a collective toast to one of craft beer’s most iconic styles: the India Pale Ale. This celebrated style represents the pinnacle of brewing innovation with its broad spectrum of diverse brands, subcategories, and regional flavor variations – making it the perfect style to galvanize craft beer’s social voice.

#IPADay is not the brainchild of a corporate marketing machine, nor is it meant to serve any particular beer brand. #IPADay is an opportunity for breweries, bloggers, businesses and consumers to connect and share their love of craft beer. Getting involved is easy; the only requirements are an appreciation for great beer and the will to spread the word. Anyone can participate by enjoying an IPA with friends, making some noise online with the #IPADay hashtag, and showing the world that craft beer is more than a trend!

Tips on How to Take Part:

Organize an #IPADay event at your brewery, brewpub, restaurant, bar, home, or office (Example: An IPA dinner/cheese pairing/comparative or educational tasting/cask night/tap takeover). Share your events on the official #IPADay forum at http://www.ratebeer.com.
On August 4th, share your photos, videos, blog posts, tasting notes, recipes, and thoughts with the world. Be sure to include the #IPADay hashtag in your posts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WordPress, RateBeer, Foursquare, Gowalla, Yelp, Untappd, or any other social media site.
See what other people are saying by searching “#IPADay” on Google, Twitter, etc.
Track down your favorite IPA’s, ones you’ve been meaning to try, and ones you’ve never heard of; share them with friends and share your thoughts with the world.
Have a good time and know that by sharing your experiences online, you’re strengthening the craft beer community at large.

About International #IPADay

Founded in 2011 by beer evangelists and social media personalities Ashley V. Routson and Ryan A. Ross, International #IPADay is the largest grassroots social media-based celebration of craft beer. The goal of #IPADay is to use social media to strengthen the collective voice of craft beer through the simple celebration of beer itself. The success of #IPADay hinges on the passionate voices of beer enthusiasts worldwide and their willingness to share that passion across the social sphere.

For more information on events or how you can support #IPADay, visit http://ipaday.eventbrite.com.

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I am really excited about this! I've been thinking about organizing a tasting and food pairing thing for my craft beer drinking friends for a little while now, and this is the perfect excuse to do it. The only drawback is that if I do that, I won't be able to attend of the undoubtedly awesome events that my favorite beer purveyors will probably be having. Perhaps I'll take the day off, visit my favorite beer spots in the afternoon, and do the tasting in the evening. The cogs are turning...

Brooklyn Sorachi Ace

2011-07-06T13:00:00.003-04:00

Sorachi Ace is a relatively new hop variety, originally developed and grown by Sapporo in 1988 for use in its beers. It is a cross between the British Brewer's Gold and Czech Saaz varieties and is distinguished by its strong, lemony smell. The hop gained popularity during the "hops crisis" of 2007-2008 when it was available in small quantities to homebrewers in need of high alpha hops. Today, it is a little more readily available, allowing several major craft brewers to begin using Sorachi Ace for special releases. It seems to be particularly popular in "single hop" settings.

Brooklyn's Sorachi Ace is a Belgian-style saison, although not entirely traditional... in a good way. It's definitely more hoppy, which is fine considering it is meant to show off a single type of hop. The lemon is prominent in the aroma, plus breadiness from the yeast and a very slight hint of alcohol, but there was also something more complex happening that I can't describe. Flavors are of fresh pear, orange, green grapes, spicy lemongrass, and lightly bitter hops. It has a thick head and lively carbonation that continues to the last sip. Finish is crisp and dry. Overall, a tasty and rather interesting take on a saison, and a good showcase of the Sorachi Ace hop.

Pere Jacques

2011-06-27T20:16:00.005-04:00

When I heard that Goose Island had sold the majority stake of their own company to Anheuser-Busch, I immediately went out and bought a bottle or two of everything I could find from their 'Vintage' series (I didn't find Pepe Nero, but will grab one next time I see it). Back in May, I reviewed Sofie, a Belgian style golden ale with a touch of funk. Now I'm on to Pere Jacques, an Abbey ale that I've had before but never reviewed.

Pere Jacques pours a murky, reddish brown. The head is thin and dissipates quickly, although a ring of carbonation clings to the edge and leaves nice lacing all the way down. Aromas are of bread and yeast, caramel, cherry, plum and other dark fruits, as well as a hint of port. I even caught a small bit of Cola when I sniffed hard as the head was still kicking about. Flavors are very typical of the Abbey style; raisin bread, figs, rich malts, some spice, cinnamon, and then banana as it warms. It's only slightly boozy, the 8% ABV easily detectable but not overpowering, and you definitely get the port in there as well. Medium bodied and a bit syrupy. Finish is lightly bitter, but like the alcohol, not unpleasant. I had this along with a roasted chicken sandwich with chipotle aioli on multi-grain focaccia, and the Pere Jacques was a perfect compliment to the spice from the aioli... cut right through it. Yet another delicious beer from Goose Island that hopefully won't be ruined by A-B.

Flying Dog Tap Takeover

2011-06-16T09:50:00.009-04:00

Yesterday, Robin and I hit Frisco Grill & Taphouse in Columbia, MD for a very exciting Flying Dog event featuring 22 of their beers on tap!

I started with the Coffee Stout, which is brewed with Black Dog Coffee. I reviewed it back in January and was very pleased to find it on the nitro tap at Frisco. The nitro gives it an even smoother, creamier mouth feel than it already has from a bottle. There was also more vanilla plus sweeter coffee and milk chocolate notes.

Robin began with a glass of the rare and elusive In de Wildeman Farmhouse IPA. This is an unfiltered American IPA with Citra hops and fermented with saison yeast. In de Wildeman is a tap room in Amsterdam that asked Flying Dog to brew an exclusive beer for their 25th anniversary. Its first appearance in the USA was on April 12 at Churchkey in DC. It is not being bottled for commercial sale in the U.S., although 15 bottles did exist at one point, in 750mL form. It lives up to its classification as a "farmhouse IPA". Aromas of lemon, honey, orange, apple, and pear, with flavors to match along with a light barnyard funk. Absolutely delicious beer!

From here on, Robin and I shared everything.

Imperial IPA Single Hop Centennial
I get excited when I hear the phrase "single hop". I know it's kind of trendy right now, but in my opinion that's not a bad thing. From drinking single hopped beers, I've learned how to better identify aromas and flavors and have an easier time picking the hop varieties present in beers using more than one. Centennial gives you floral aromas and a distinct, earthy bitterness. Flying Dog's Single Hop Centennial reminded me a lot of Founders' Centennial IPA.

Imperial IPA Single Hop Simcoe
I'm a big fan of Simcoe hops, so it's no surprise I liked this better than the Single Hop Centennial. The Simcoe is more sweet and grassy rather than earthy like the Centennial. Orange, some grapefruit, melon, lemon. A little more variety of flavors going on than other single hopped beers I've had. Hides the 10% ABV very well.

Barrel Aged Gonzo Imperial Porter
Aromas of cocoa powder, mocha coffee, slight hazelnut, and oak. Flavors follow, along with bourbon, black licorice, and a little cinnamon. Definite alcohol bite, but with thick body that coats and warms the throat like really good hot chocolate. Funny... it's almost summer now and I'm still craving darker, often heavier beers.

Woody Creek White
Wit beers are definitely not one of my go-to styles, but I wanted something lighter to go with my 'pale ale corn dogs' and fries. This is a decent example of the style, with typical coriander, orange peel, lemon, etc. Nice, fluffy head that lasts. Dry finish. Refreshing.

Our final beer was Double Dog on nitro. The aromas seemed subtle for a pale ale (or Double Pale Ale as they say), but this was probably due to the thick nitro fueled head keeping things from leaping into the air around the glass. The flavors are definitely not subdued though. Strong malt backbone, rich caramel, molasses, honey, grapefruit, orange, and nutty. It made me crave pecan pie! I'm assuming the 'Double Pale Ale' title refers to the 11.5% alcohol content, the same way 'Imperial' does for stronger IPA's, porters, etc. I loved the variety of flavors and addition of nitrogen that resulted in one great tasting beer with aspects of a pale ale, brown ale, cream ale, stout, and IPA all in one!

In addition to the 7 we tried, there were 15 other Flying Dog beers available:
Backyard Ale
Centennial Single Hop, cask
Dog Schwarz
Doggie Style Pale Ale
Garde Dog
Gonzo, nitro
Gonzo
Horn Dog Barleywine
In-Heat Wheat
Lucky SOB Irish Red
Old Scratch Amber
Raging Bitch
Road Dog Porter
Snake Dog IPA
Tire Bite Golden Ale

On an additional note, Flying Dog recently announced plans to pull distribution from 13 states. This includes states like Alaska, which brings in a very low volume and shipping logistics are difficult, and Washington and Oregon, strong craft beer states that are already heavily saturated with and supportive of their own local, northwest breweries. CEO Jim Caruso stated, "..our primary focus would be [Maryland and] the contiguous states around it," and went on to say, "We can't afford to be short on beer in our own backyard." So expect to see a lot more events and promotions from Flying Dog, along with (hopefully) more rare and limited releases. Cheers!

Founders Breakfast Stout

2011-06-09T10:06:00.006-04:00

I'm not making this complicated. Founders Breakfast Stout is insanely delicious. It is what it says on the bottle. Double. Chocolate. Coffee. Oatmeal. Stout. A couple more things that aren't on the bottle. Creamy. Luscious. The chocolate and coffee flavors are rich but not too much so. I should be allowed to drink one every morning before work. Actually, I could do that anyway and no one could stop me, the only problem is supply. Founders doesn't distribute in Maryland, but it's not a year round offering anyway. I have only one real complaint, and it's with myself, and it's for only buying one bottle. September can't come fast enough. And by the way, that is breakfast in the background - roast beef, fried egg, and cheese on an English muffin.

Marrón Acidifié

2011-06-08T16:57:00.001-04:00

I was super excited when I heard that The Bruery and Cigar City, two of my favorite breweries, were teaming up to create a collaborative beer. Marrón Acidifié, an Imperial Oud Bruin, was conceived at GABF 2009 and brewed shortly thereafter. The effort was very meaningful to both companies, each of them a small, fledgling breweries at the time (still relatively small actually), but brought together from opposite sides of the country through their passion for brewing delicious beer.

For the past year or more, Marrón Acidifié has been undergoing a long and gentle aging process in oak barrels with California dates and black sapote fruit used for secondary fermentation. In case you're unfamiliar with the style, Oud Bruin originates from the Flemish region of Belgium. The name, literally meaning "old brown", is a reference to the long aging process. The extended aging process allows the yeast and bacteria to develop into sour flavors that are one of the defining characteristics of the style.

I was thrilled to find several bottles of the stuff on the new arrivals shelf during my last visit to Dawson's. As with all of The Bruery's releases, it comes packaged in 750 ml bottles with their exquisite labeling (I've actually been saving the bottles of each of their beers I've had... trophies of a sort).

Marrón Acidifié pours deep, murky brown. There was a tiny bit of carbonation as I poured, but it fizzled away quickly with no lasting head. Nice aroma of mixed fruits, sour cherries, cranberries. Noticeably sour, with a hint of vinegar, but balanced by the roasted malt, oak, and something else... a thick doughy sweetness that reminded me of cherry pie. Maybe that's why I like sours so much - they tend to remind me of my favorite kind of pie! It took a moment for me to pick it out, and thinking back I'm pretty sure it was when I sniffed straight from the bottle and not the glass, but I got a heavy dose of that thick, bittersweet smell of old leather. Not all sours blow up my taste buds or make me pucker at first, but this one did a little bit, and that's not a bad thing. Once I got through the first sip, my palate started to pick up all the subtle flavors. The cherry is definitely there in force, but is complimented by additional sourness that seemed to be grape and apple-like. I liked it that! Hints of plum and fig are in there too. The mouth feel was rather thick and viscous and I would have liked some prickly carbonation to cut through. Also, my second pour seemed to lose some of the balance and punch the first one had. That's okay though. At 8.5% ABV, it would have been unwise to finish it on my own. Other than that, a very tasty sour indeed! The label says you can cellar it for up to 5 years. Bottles are about 23 bucks, but despite the price I may pick up another to age.

Savor

2011-06-02T14:27:00.037-04:00

I first heard about Savor in 2009, which at the time was in its second year. Although there are lots of bars and restaurants that pair craft beer with food, I had never seen an event built specifically around the idea. I missed it in 2010 but scored tickets this year for Robin (from Good For the Palate) and myself for the first day of SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience.

This year marked the first time the event was held over two days instead of one, with 2000 [ticketed] attendees each night. It was held at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC and featured 72 breweries and 144 different beers, each with a small food pairing. There were also tables featuring artisanal cheeses and chocolates, as well as a raw oyster bar. Tickets (which were $110) included all the beer samples and food pairings you could handle, along with a commemorative tasting glass, event program, and exit gift (more on that later). Savor also features private 'salons'; small group discussions or private tastings which require separate tickets ($30 each if I remember correctly). Dress code was business casual.

Check out more details at these links:
Attending breweries
Beer & food pairings
Private salons

Now for my thoughts, which I'm going to separate into The Good, The Not So Good, You Decide, and The Verdict. Be aware, the You Decide part is still not exempt from my personal opinions.

The Good

Lots of breweries: With 72 different brewers on hand, this is one of the most widely represented beer events in the region. A lot of them don't distribute in Maryland, Virginia, or maybe even DC itself, so this is a great chance for local beer geeks to try things they might normally have to travel pretty far to get. I was particularly excited to try Boulevard, Firestone Walker, Odell, and Short's, as well as get another taste of some I've had before but can't get at home, like Bell's, Founders, Cigar City, and Coronado.

Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale & The Sixth Glass (Belgian strong ale) from Boulevard Brewing Co.

Lots of beer: I think one or two brewers had something on draft, but almost everything was poured from bottles, so there was no worrying about kegs getting kicked.

Cheese, chocolates, and raw bar: It was nice that these were separate from the food pairings, and I guess it made more sense for them to be, as they didn't need to be cooked.

National Building Museum: Pretty cool place to hold the event. Well ventilated and easy to get around, which was great. Why? Because I'm positive there were way more than 2000 people there on Friday. This didn't seem to be a huge problem since the room was big and there was room to move around, but having been to Brewvival twice, I know what 2000 people looks like, and there were definitely more at Savor.

Exit gift: A bottle of SAVOR Flowers, a collaborative brew from Jim Koch of Boston Beer Company and Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head. Very cool. It was brewed with rosewater in place of regular water, features a new hop variety known as #369, and was aged in Sam Adams' Barrel One (which was originally used for Sam Adams Triple Bock in 1993). They served it at Savor, so I did get to taste it, but I'm going to save my thoughts for a review later on.

SAVOR Flowers

Another plus side to Savor: In the week leading up to the event, several DC beer bars featured Savor beers on tap or held meet-and-greets with the owners and brewers. Robin was invited to a BBQ at a local distributor that featured Brooklyn Brewery and several others, while I had lunch at RFD and sipped 3 Stars + Evolution collaboration The Syndicate Saison and Heavy Seas Plank 1 on cask. Later, in the hours before Savor began, Robin and I met up at our hotel and then headed to ChurchKey to meet the guys from Odell and try some of their beers, plus try some things from Short's Brewing. RFD and Brasserie Beck both held after-parties for Savor ticket holders, and Iron Horse Tap Room held a tap takeover showcasing many Savor breweries. I'm sure as the years go on, more Savor-related events will pop up, probably turning into a full fledged beer week.

The Not So Good - THE FOOD

This was a big disappointment for Robin and I, because one of the two main ingredients of the event was, after all, the food! In many cases, if a dish was supposed to be crunchy, it was soft; if it was supposed to be soft it was soggy; if it was supposed to be moist it was dry; if it was supposed to be warm or hot it was cool. Not everything was that way though. There were some exceptions... The 'devils on horseback'; smoked bacon wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese. The mini lobster rolls. The crispy tuna rolls weren't crispy but the flavors were there. The biscuit and belly. The double chocolate bread pudding was damn tasty. The 'shrimp in a blanket' were good, and mine was even crispy (must've gotten a lucky batch straight from the kitchen). Though I understand the logistical issues with serving a massive amount of food in a relatively short period of time, I think all of the dishes could still have been prepared significantly better.

There were only 42 different dishes for 144 different beers. I knew this ahead of time, but still figured it'd be worth it because it'd be interesting to see how the same dish paired with different beers. The problem is, with the food not being prepared particularly well, it didn't always match with all of the beers it was paired with. A few things worked, but some things were completely overpowered by the beer or just didn't mix at all. Had the food been prepared better, the matches may have been more evident.

I think the event could feature way less breweries and more local restaurants, that way they could concentrate on having better pairings and preparations. Instead of creating dishes that go generically with an IPA or an imperial stout, why not have a brewer pair with a specific restaurant to create more exclusive and harmonious pairings? It would probably eliminate all or most of the issues with one generic kitchen heating and serving pre-prepared food. Overall, I just expected a lot more from the food at an event specifically geared towards food pairings with craft beer.

I was also disappointed by security giving people crap about bringing in DSLR's. I had to use my iPhone for what few pictures I took.

You Decide

Tasting glass: Stemmed, wine-like. Plenty of beers are served in goblets, tulip glasses, snifters, etc, and those are all stemmed. I heard a few people say they would have preferred a snifter if Savor was going for 'elegant'. Not going to argue with them. Whatever, the Savor glass was perfectly fine for tastings.

Attire and atmosphere: Savor "strives for an elegant event". Dress is usually cocktail or business casual according to their website (the ticket just said business casual). Savor is undoubtedly a nice event and not a typical beer festival, and I found that there were a lot less beer geeks in attendance. There seemed to be a lot of folks who came because it was something hip to do, an "in" thing. There was not as much of the usual beer nerd chatter among the attendees. I talked to a few people that knew generally what craft beer is but that was about it. It seemed like a large portion of the attendees were there because they were intrigued by the idea that beer can be paired with food, but they maybe don't drink craft beer otherwise, at all or only occasionally. In fact, for some, Savor may be the only time they have beer with their food. Being in DC, there are a lot of lawyers, lobbyists, businesspeople, politicians, etc. I think the attire could be more a result of the location rather than the food or beer. In an article I read earlier today, one attendee, despite greatly enjoying the event said, "Whatever happened to drinking beer in t-shirts and shorts?" I agree with him. While I wasn't crazy about the dress code, it wasn't enough to stop me from drinking some great beer.

Robin and I laughed at the number of people, just in the few moments we stood there, that kept calling these "cherry bock" and "Vietnamese lager". It's Cherny ("chair-knee") Bock and Viennese Lager.

The Verdict

For $60-70 I would go again for all the beers including the bottle of SAVOR Flowers we got when we left. For $40-50, I'd do it just for the beers. Unfortunately, the food experience was overall so disappointing that I wouldn't say it was worth the $110, and I personally won't go to the event again. Atmosphere-wise, Savor just isn't the average craft beer drinker's beer festival. For me (and I think most beer geeks in general), the money would be better spent at beer bars and gastropubs such as Brasserie Beck and Birch & Barley in DC, or Alewife and The Brewer's Art in Baltimore, where you can get great craft beer as well as incredible food. On the plus side, Savor did make way for some really cool events at the local beer geek hangouts in DC, and I will definitely take advantage of that again next year. If you're unable to score tickets to future Savor events or it simply doesn't interest you at all, I would still highly recommend coming to town for the extra happenings. Cheers!

Sofie

2011-05-21T21:50:00.005-04:00

Sofie, part of Goose Island's delicious 'Vintage Series', is, well, pretty damn delicious. It pours a crisp, clear gold. Sweet, citrusy aroma. Head fades quickly but the carbonation stays lively in the glass. Flavors of orange and slightly sour lemon, some peppery spice, vanilla, and... overly ripe banana? I swear I caught a taste of it in there somewhere. Medium body, with slightly prickly carbonation. Sofie has a little funk to it, and even though RateBeer calls it a saison and Goose Island classifies it as a Belgian farmhouse ale on their website, the bottle just says "Belgian Style Ale". It's probably best that way. Not every beer drinker loves saisons or sours, but Sofie is one that even the biggest disbeliever of funk can appreciate. Keeping the classification a little vague will prevent it from being overlooked by some.

My mom isn't much of a beer drinker, but whenever I have something fairly light and (for lack of a better word) fruity, I make her try it. She loved Sofie. She said, "Wow! It's so refreshing and fruity. There's like, lemon and orange in there!" Good job, Mom!

I caught Dad stealing a sip too...

I need to get some...

2011-05-18T20:33:00.004-04:00

A Little Sumpin' Sumpin', if you know what I mean. Lagunitas calls this an "American Pale Wheat Ale". It just seems mostly like an IPA to me, but what it does seem to have in common with a wheat beer is that it's lively and light. Dangerously light in fact. It's 7.5% ABV, and this got me into trouble at a party last week, when I drank 4 in under an hour and had to get a ride home. There's a lot of orange and some honey in the flavor, maybe a little wheat, some lemon, and it's more malty and has less piney sweetness than a lot of other IPA's. I love, LOVE this beer. I've had plenty of other beers from Lagunitas before, but I'm kicking myself for not trying this until recently. This is an extremely satisfying beer to drink, and I'm looking forward to stocking up for hot summer evenings.

Lots more beer

2011-05-03T09:01:00.010-04:00

At the beginning of my last post I mentioned that I drink a lot more beer than I ever post about. From time to time I'll post pictures (usually from my iPhone) of anything I've had but haven't featured on the site. Well, it's that time again... Here's another exciting round (12 to be exact) of What's Chris been drinking that he hasn't told us about? It's a long post because of all the photos, but make sure you scroll to the bottom where I plug one of my favorite spots for beer, and also give a little commentary on whether or not cans affect the flavor of beer.

Great Divide Titan IPA

New Belgium Ranger IPA
Rooftop Bar at The Library in downtown Charleston. My first time having Ranger IPA. It was okay.

Great Divide Grand Cru
Awesome.

Struise Mikkeller Double IPA
I typically like Mikkeller and their collaborations, but this sucked. It was really, really grassy and bitter. Granted, it says 130 IBU's, but I've had other high IBU beers that tasted good. I wouldn't recommend this at all. Glad someone shared this with me and I wasn't the one that paid for it.

Stillwater Cellar Door
Can't really go wrong with anything from Stillwater.

Great Divide Hoss

Left Hand Milk Stout
They've changed their label are and possibly their recipe. This bottle was much better than the first time I had it. Way more flavor.

Evolution Exile ESB

Duvel Tripel Hop
I did not like it nearly as much as regular old Duvel.

Oskar Blues Old Chub
Good for catching up when you get to the bar/party late. If you want flavor though, try Great Divide's Claymore.

Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale
Been loving this stuff lately. My go-to anytime I'm at Tsunami (see end of post). Crisp, refreshing, lots of flavor, and very light for an IPA. Awesome!

Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale

I got the Titan, Old Chub, Little Sumpin', and Dale's at Tsunami in Annapolis. They have good sushi and Asian-inspired cuisine as well as an excellent beer list. New stuff gets added frequently, especially drafts. You can always find something new here.

Also, a word on cans... I don't discriminate. I love craft beer from a can just as much as I love craft beer from a bottle or on draft. Lots of people think cans make the beer taste different or funny. I've got no scientific proof whether it does or not. Any craft brewery that cans their beer typically explains that the cans are lined and that the metal doesn't affect the flavor. However, I still pour my canned beer into a glass whenever possible, and I generally suggest that to others as well. I'm not trying to be snobby (in fact I almost never pour my Dale's or Old Chub) and I'm not saying I don't believe that the cans don't affect the flavor of the beer. But when the beer, your lips, and your tongue meet on the outside of the can, then I think the flavor definitely changes. Personally, I always get a bit of that metallic flavor when I drink straight from the can. So that's why I always pour my canned beer, and I find I get the right flavors and generally enjoy the beer more that way. To each their own. Cheers!

R.I.P.A. on Rye

2011-04-24T19:20:00.005-04:00

You may not know it, but I try a lot more beer than I ever post about. I usually only post what I've taken photos of, and I make sure I have tasting notes to go along. But Shmaltz Brewing Company's HeBrew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A. on Rye (rye whiskey barrel aged) is one that I ended up not thinking too much about while drinking it. I was so happy just downing huge mouthfuls that I didn't care about analyzing it for malt backbone or hop bitterness or color or lacing or head retention.

My friends know I'm a beer geek, and they appreciate my opinion when choosing new beers to try. I like to let them find out for themselves, since not everyone has the same tastes, but a lot of the time I use a broad yet effective rating system to give them a general idea about what they're thinking about trying.

From the lowest rating to the best rating:
"No."
"Meh."
"Okay."
"Try it if you like _______."
"Pretty good."
"Awesome."
"Fucking. Delicious."

R.I.P.A. on Rye falls in the "Awesome" category. I loved the creamy head, the taste of the rye, the "liquid bread"-like body (it is on the heavier side for an IPA), and the vanilla and sweetness from the barrel aging. There is some citrus hop flavor, but not much bitterness. There, you got some tasting notes anyway. Check out the full beer description at the Shmaltz website.

Brooklyn Local 1

2011-04-22T21:53:00.003-04:00

I've only recently gotten into the beer of Brooklyn Brewery. I've had their lager before, and recently had their Detonation Ale (which I loved) at ChurchKey in DC, but I became even more interested after seeing a short video with Garrett Oliver (Brooklyn's brewmaster) talking about craft beer and opening a bottle of Local 1. So I went out and bought not only Local 1, but also a bottle of Local 2, which I have not tried yet.

Local 1 pours golden orange. It has lots of light fruit flavors like pear, apple, and lemon. There's also a little bit of funk to it almost like a saison. Big carbonation, you can see how big the head was on the first pour. Sort of falls between a Belgian golden ale and a tripel. Very satisfying and extremely drinkable, I was taking big gulps of the stuff. Medium bodied, with a fairly dry finish. Local 1 is just all around awesome, and although I didn't eat anything while drinking it, I think it would make a very versatile beer to pair with pretty anything. I also love that it's year round and not limited or seasonal. Go try yourself some of this!

[Garrett Oliver is also the author of The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food.]

Mother Earth Brewing

2011-04-12T06:15:00.014-04:00

Back in February, the week leading up to Brewvival, Robin (Good for the Palate) and I were in Asheville for a few other beer events. At a cask ale tasting at Barley's Taproom we had the pleasure of meeting Audra from Mother Earth Brewing (she also used to work for Dogfish Head). After trying their delicious barrel-aged Tripel Over Head, we chatted a bit and just before we headed back to our hotel Audra ran around the corner to her car and grabbed 3 bottles of Mother Earth beer for us to try; a bottle each of Dark Cloud (Munich dunkel), Weeping Willow (Belgian wit) and Sisters of the Moon (IPA). Robin had been anxious to try them, so I invited her over for our own Mother Earth tasting.

Weeping Willow Wit:
Pours a bright golden yellow. Has a pleasant spicy taste, with obvious flavors of lemon and coriander, and a hint of orange. It reminded me of Allagash White but with a little more earthiness and bitterness. Smooth and easy drinking, with moderate carbonation and a dry finish. A good wit!

Dark Cloud:
Very clear brownish red, like root beer, with just a little head. This one had some nice flavors, dark malts, caramel, raisin, nuts, but Robin and I both thought this fell a bit short, like everything was muted. Maybe we should have waited longer and cleared our palates after the Weeping Willow. I talked to Josh, Brewmaster at Mother Earth about this, and he was surprised that the flavors were muted, but he did say it was much better, more flavorful and with more carbonation on draft.

Sisters of the Moon:
Deep orange color, nice head, can't really go wrong with most American IPA's. This one has a great toasty, malty character that sets it apart from a lot of other IPA's. The malt character makes for a very smooth and well balanced IPA, not particularly heavy on the hops, but not lacking great IPA flavors like citrus, orange, grapefruit, and a sweet honey flavor as well. This was my favorite of the 3 Mother Earth brews we had that night (2nd favorite overall if I count the Tripel Over Head). I really wish Mother Earth was distributed up in Maryland, but then again, it's a good reason to head south again!

Hoppyum

2011-03-27T16:38:00.005-04:00

Hoppyum is an IPA from Foothills Brewing of Winston-Salem, NC. Typical ambery, coppery, orangish color with the usual fluffy white head. Not strong, kinda dry, very earthy, the usual grass and pine, orange peel. Want hops? You got it! Cascade, Centennial, and heavy on the Simcoe. 70 IBU's and 6.3% ABV. Overall, very smooth and not too intense, making me think this is really more of a regular pale ale rather than an IPA. Not that it really matters. Very refreshing and drinkable, perfect for pretty much any time of year. I'm happy I picked up two bottles when I was at Bruisin' Ales, because I can't get this stuff back home in Maryland.

I've also had Foothills' Seeing Double IPA, Total Eclipse Stout, and the beer for which they're probably most well known, Sexual Chocolate, an imperial stout infused with cocoa. Though I've only had a few of their beers, I highly recommend anything they offer based on my experiences. Delicious stuff!

French Broad Rye Hopper

2011-03-18T20:46:00.004-04:00

Oops! I spilled a little bit.

This was my second beer on St. Patrick's Day. Rye Hopper pours a deep, crisp amber. The aroma is a nice balance of earth, citrus, and very light rye. The taste is about the same, but with more rye and spice added to it. It went very well with the corned beef and cabbage that I had for dinner. I honestly don't have much to say on this one. I enjoyed the beer, but it wasn't amazing. I'd have it again though.

Here's a straight-on shot so you can see the color of the beer and the bottle better.

Claymore Scotch Ale

2011-03-18T19:49:00.005-04:00

I had this on St. Patrick's Day. Oops. Great Divide's take on a Wee Heavy is dark and clean, deep brown in color with a hint of red but possibly translucent if held up to bright light. Great roasted malt taste with a touch of hop sweetness, a little earth and grain in the aroma, but overall rather subtle on the nose. I got a faint, lightly sweetened coffee taste on my first few sips. After that, cinnamon and nutmeg. Fairly well balanced, maybe just a very tiny bit on the sweet side at first, but it seemed to even out near the end and I didn't notice it anymore. It's almost completely smooth, just a little syrupy, and has a very pleasant aftertaste that will keep you going back for more. I really enjoyed this beer. If I had known how much I would like it, I would have bought a 6-pack instead of a single. On the other hand, at 7.7% ABV, a 6-pack could be dangerous if even a few are consumed in one sitting. Although it wouldn't be a Wee Heavy anymore, I think this would make a great session ale if they did a similar recipe but brought the alcohol down to 4.5-5%. Anyway, Claymore is an awesome beer! Better than green Bud or Guinness on St. Patrick's Day for sure!

Brewvival 2011

2011-02-28T21:59:00.008-05:00

Once again, the fine folks at Charleston Beer Exchange and Coast Brewing put on an intensely enjoyable beer festival. Tons of great people, great food, awesome weather, and awesome beer. Here's a rundown of what I was able to try at this year's Brewvival... photos follow.

Allagash: Avance, Little Big Beer, Bourbon Black
All Good Brands (importer): Urthel Hop It, Bocker Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge
Avery: Joe's Premium Pilsner, Dichos Dactylion
Bell's: Hopslam on cask, Batch 9000
The Bruery: Coton, Trade Winds
Brooklyn: Monster Ale 2007, Blast
Coast: Blackbeard 2010, Rye Not
Foothills: Sexual Chocolate, Sexual Chocolate on cask, Sexual Chocolate 2009, Seeing Double IPA
French Broad: Belgian Stout, Flanders Abbey Ale, Wee Heaviest
Great Divide: Hades, Grand Cru
Heavy Seas: Below Decks on cask
Highland: Dynamite Porter
New Belgium: Tart Lychee
New Holland: Dragon's Milk on cask, Charkoota Rye (light smokiness)
Palmetto: Espresso Porter
Saint Somewhere: Pays du Fleur on cask
Shmaltz: R.I.P.A. Sazerac barrel aged
Sierra Nevada: Bigfoot Barleywine
SweetWater: Happy Ending
Terrapin: Big Sloppy Monster
Thomas Creek: Banana Split Chocolate Stout
12% Imports: Hopfenstark Framboise
Westbrook: Uberbier #3
Cigar City: Hunahpu, Improvisacion O.R.I.B.A. (Oatmeal Rye India Brown Ale)
Founders: Breakfast Stout
21st Amendment/Firestone Walker/Stone: El Camino (Un)Real Black Ale

Notable favorites: Allagash Avance, Avery Dichos Dactylion (sour ale), The Bruery Coton, Brooklyn Monster Ale 2007, Foothills Sexual Chocolate 2009, French Broad Wee Heaviest, Saint Somewhere Pays du Fleur on cask, Thomas Creek Banana Split Chocolate Stout, Westbrook Uberbier #3, Cigar City Improvisacion (oatmeal rye India brown ale), Founders Breakfast Stout

There were only two disappointments: Urthel Hop It and Bell's Hopslam on cask. Hop It seemed flat and didn't have much flavor. Bell's Hopslam is delicious, refreshing, and has a nice hop bite from the bottle; but on cask it seemed watered down and lacking that bold flavor it usually has. Oh well, I came home with two 6-packs of it!

2000 happy beer lovers

Bell's, love them

Allagash Avance, I went back twice for this

Robin and Kristin with Brandon from Charleston Beer Exchange

One of my new favorite brewers, French Broad

Daniel from It's A Fucking Beer, and me

Foothills Seeing Double IPA, yum!

Foothills Sexual Chocolate 2009

Cheers!

The hops weren't green anymore but they still smelled great

When Katie from Thomas Creek hands you a Banana Split Chocolate Stout with ice cream in it, you don't argue.

Great Divide Hades & Hibernation Ale

Westbrook's Uberbier is uberdelicious! But I forgot to go back for a shirt...

21st Amendment/Firestone Walker/Stone "El Camino (Un)Real Black Ale

Daniel from It's A Fucking Beer with Julie from Bruisin Ales

A little taste of home.

Who wants to be my friend?

2011-02-26T08:40:00.003-05:00

Most of what I bought I can't get in Maryland at all... Foothills, New Belgium, Left Hand, French Broad, Bell's, Founders, Saint Somewhere, Grand Teton, and Highland. The rest are distributed in MD but can be hard to find and/or sell out quickly. I'm really happy with my purchases, and am particularly excited about the ones from Van De Korenaar and Saint Somewhere. Robin, Nikki, Justin and I killed the growler of Grand Teton's Persephone imperial pilsner, and I can't say enough good things about it. I had never heard of Grand Teton before, but Brandon at CBX highly recommended their beers, and I ended up getting their brandy barrel aged Coming Home ale as well. So, here's the damage...

From Bruisin Ales, Asheville:

Bell's Pale Ale
Bell's Amber
Bell's Java Stout
Bell's Oarsman
Foothills Hoppyum (2)
Founders Centennial IPA
Founders Red's RyePA (6 pack)
French Broad Rye Hopper
Left Hand Wake Up The Dead
Left Hand Twin Sisters
Mikkeller Warrior Single Hop
New Belgium La Folie
New Belgium Ranger IPA
Nøgne Ø Brown Ale
Sierra Nevada Hoptimum
The Bruery Trade Winds (2, one is going to my friend Marc)
Van De Korenaar L'Enfant Terrible
Van De Korenaar Noblesse
Van De Korenaar Courage
Van De Korenaar Bravoure

From Charleston Beer Exchange:

Avery The Beast Grand Cru (growler)
Bell's Winter White Ale
Bell's Hopslam (three 6 packs, one going to my friend James)
Bell's Expedition Stout
Founders Breakfast Stout
Grand Teton Persephone (growler)
Grand Teton brandy barrel aged Coming Home ale (growler)
Great Divide Claymore
He'Brew R.I.P.A. on Rye
Highland Little Hump (6 pack)
Mikkeller Nelson Sauvin Single Hop
Saint Somewhere Pays du Soleil
Saint Somewhere Saison Athene
Saint Somewhere Lectio Divina

BEERsimple Beer Week

2011-02-25T09:13:00.002-05:00

We got to Asheville on Tuesday afternoon. After checking into Sweet Peas Hostel, we walked up the street to Bruisin Ales for a tasting of Fullsteam beers. Founder and 'Chief Executive Optimist' Sean Wilson was on hand to do the pours. We ran the gamut, starting with Carver Sweet Potato ale, Fullsteam Southern Lager (their flagship beer), Working Man's Lunch (which Sean had us taste along with the moonpies that he brought, nice combination!), Hogwash hickory-smoked porter, and First Frost, a winter warmer brewed with persimmon. My favorites were the Fullsteam Lager and First Frost.

We walked around the city for a while after that, and man what a beautiful place. The big event for the evening was 'Caskageddon' at Barley's Tap Room. We got there early to have a bite to eat before delving into the drinks. The event featured Foothills bourbon barrel aged People's Porter, Mother Earth's Tripel Overhead aged with black pepper and cardamom, Big Boss Brewing's High Roller IPA dry hopped with Chinook hops, Duck Rabbit Milk Stout aged with Escazu chocolate, and Red Beans & Rice from Fullsteam. Red Beans & Rice was really smooth and sessionable and you could pick up just the right amount of each flavor. I found the hop bite of High Roller to be a little much, but I liked the flavor. I wasn't crazy about the Milk Stout with chocolate. Something seemed to be clashing a bit. Tripel Overhead was awesome, but my winner for the night was the People's Porter. Just the right amount of woodiness and alcohol bite to go along with the dark malts and subtle chocolate of the porter.

On an un-beer related note, on Wednesday morning we hit Early Girl Eatery and I had the best shrimp and grits I've ever had.

We walked around the town all day on Wednesday, stopping in shops and cafes, snatching up whatever we could afford and tasting anything we felt needed to be tasted. This included a stop at French Broad Chocolate Lounge for what they called a "liquid truffle".

Later in the afternoon, we stopped at 5 Walnut Wine Bar - yes, wine bar. But here's the deal, first of all, the entire front of the bar had huge open windows, so the bar became more of a patio, and the weather was beautiful, and second, the selection of beer at this wine bar was better than any regular bar back home. And arguably, it was better than some bars that claim to be "beer bars". The list included local beers from Pisgah Brewing, Green Man, Nantahala, Highland, and Catawba, plus bottled craft brews from Sierra Nevada, Oskar Blues, Founders, Lagunitas, Bell's, Rogue, Avery, Stone, and Allagash. I had the Green Man ESB, which is probably the best ESB I've ever had. Here was the board...

On Wednesday night there was a New Belgium tap takeover at the Thirsty Monk, and I had the Vrienden wild sour ale collaboration with Allagash, brewed with hibiscus flower, brettanomyces, lactobacillus, and sauteed endives. They also had Avery Mephistopheles on tap, which I couldn't resist a 4 oz pour of.

We had breakfast again at Early Girl before leaving Asheville on Thursday morning, then headed to Charleston. We headed straight to Charleston Beer Exchange to get some growler fills for the beach house (picked up Grand Teton Persephone imperial pilnser and Grand Teton Coming Home holiday ale). The Persephone is delicious, possibly better than DFH's My Antonia, which I already really love. The highlight of the stop to CBX is finding Bell's Hopslam. Even without Brewvival, I think the trip was already worth it.

Needless to say, I've spent quite a bit of money on beer in the stores in Asheville and Charleston, but I feel it's justified by the fact that I got stuff that I can't get in Maryland. 5 boxes so far, and over $280 spent. Oops.

By the way, even the grocery stores down here carry beer. And not just any beer, I'm talking selections (in the case of Piggly Wiggly) that rival Dawson's shelves, for all you Marylanders. They even have a growler station in the Piggly Wiggly. I love my hometown, but when it comes to beer, I think I live in the wrong state.

Beer adventure!

2011-02-21T13:13:00.006-05:00

It started as a trip to Charleston, South Carolina for the 2nd annual Brewvival. Then it got complicated. What began as a weekend trip has turned into a week-long beer adventure. Tomorrow, it begins.

I'll head south on 95 and make my way into North Carolina then head west on 40, passing through Durham, Winston-Salem, and Black Mountain before settling in Asheville. On the way, I have the opportunity to stop at Fullsteam Brewing (Durham), Foothills (Winston-Salem), and Pisgah Brewing (Black Mountain). Time is key though, since there is a cask event (known as "Caskageddon", or "The Night of FIVE Casks") at Barley's Taproom in Asheville starting at 7pm and featuring Big Boss High Roller IPA, Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout, Foothills bourbon-barrel People's Porter, Fullsteam Red Beans & Rice, and Mother Earth Tripel Overhead. There is also a Fullsteam tasting at Bruisin Ales from 4-6pm, so theoretically I could skip all the stops and only miss Pisgah. We'll see how it goes.

I'll be in Asheville until Thursday, hopefully meet some new beer friends, see the town, visit French Broad Brewing Company, go to the Thirsty Monk, and otherwise just play it by ear. I'm staying at Sweet Peas Hostel which looks to be within walking distance of tons of cool places.

On Thursday I move on to Greenville, South Carolina and will stop by The Community Tap and visit Thomas Creek Brewery. I'll be there until late in the afternoon and then head to Charleston to settle in for the remainder of the week/weekend. Brewvival is on Saturday from noon til 6pm. I will no doubt stop at Poe's on Sullivan's Island for some good beer and awesome fish tacos. Whatever else happens is up in the air, but I am looking forward to an awesome vacation when all is said and done.

Stay tuned for photos and updates from the road.

I Hardcore You

2011-02-20T10:05:00.007-05:00

Here's a great Imperial IPA collaboration between Mikkeller (Denmark) and BrewDog (Scotland). It is a blend of Mikkeller's 'I Beat You' and BrewDog's Hardcore IPA. The two are blended and double dry hopped. Pours a thick, hazy coppery orange color with a nice size head. It is citrusy, typical of IPA's, but this one's particularly big on grapefruit in both aroma and flavor. It's got a solid malt backbone though, so your palate doesn't get pummeled with an overly sweet hop flavor (some Imperial IPA's can be way too sweet and unbalanced). Very well balanced, with a slightly woody, nutty character to it as well. I Hardcore You is refreshing and super easy to drink, so watch out because it 9.5% ABV.

I've seen some other reviews where people complained about the price of a bottle in stores ($4-5), and the beer not being worth it. That kind of price is what you'd pay for many "corporate" beers in your average bar. Why pay that for yellow fizz when you get try something that tastes good for about the same price, plus, you drink it at home and not worry about the buzz one bottle might give you. Craft beer drinkers should realize that they're not just paying for the beer but also partially for the two rather noteable names associated with the collaboration. It is also a limited release (not too limited though), although I still see bottles on shelves in some stores). Judging it simply for what it is, beer, it's well worth the price. Go try one!

Plead the 5th

2011-02-12T15:40:00.003-05:00

Plead the 5th Imperial Stout, from Dark Horse Brewing Company in Marshall, Michigan, has a little bit of everything... except head. It pours pitch black. I couldn't see anything coming through the glass when I held it up to the light. It's thick too. Kinda looks like watered down oil, if that were possible. Heavily roasted malts, some dark fruit sweetness balanced with the usual bitterness of coffee and dark chocolate. There's a little bit of earth, wood, and pine in there too. Velvety mouthfeel with an alcohol bite that doesn't throw the beer out of balance, and a slight prickling on the tongue from the tiny amount of carbonation in the brew. I'm guessing the age is the reason it was so much smoother, tastier, and not nearly as bitter as the first bottle out of the 4-pack I got 9 months ago. I'm glad it comes in 12 oz bottles and not bombers. This is a one and done kind of beer. Rates 100 on ratebeer.com.

Black Cannon

2011-02-08T22:42:00.004-05:00

A variation on Heavy Seas Loose Cannon using dark malt. Rich, sweet chocolate and coffee flavors, balanced well with the citrus of the hops. Hints of orange and maybe even a little cherry or something else sweet in there. I have always liked Loose Cannon, but now that I've had Black Cannon, I think it's the better of the two. This is a very, very tasty beer. I suggest you grab a 6-pack if you haven't already.

Alewife, Hop Rod Rye, ChurchKey, Untappd

2011-02-04T21:04:00.012-05:00

Last Saturday I was at Alewife with my friends Trevor and Dong. I had the mussells and a glass of Allagash Black, a medium bodied stout with great roasted malt flavors, a bit of chocolate, and a fruit-like sweetness to it as well. After that I had a glass of Nøgne Ø India Pale Ale. When we were done at Alewife we headed down to Pratt Street Ale House. I wanted a Bishop's Indulgence but they were out, so I had a Bishop's Breakfast instead, still very tasty. For the rest of the night I had cask pours of 3 Lions.

On Monday I crushed a bomber of Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye. God damn delicious. All the hops you could ask for in a seemingly perfectly balanced brew, with the added depth and earthy, spicy flavors of 18% rye malt. The 8% ABV is well hidden. 80 IBU's but super smooth. Good thing I didn't have 2 of these at home, I would've downed the other one right away.

I met Robin in DC and we went to ChurchKey on Tuesday night specifically to get Bell's HopSlam on cask. It kicked before I got there. Total bummer. Is it wrong to be bummed out when you're sitting in a bar full of awesome beer? Can missing that one beer ruin one evening? Well, it does suck that you can't get Bell's in Maryland, but I got over it really quick with a glass of Founders Double Trouble. Robin started with an Abbaye de St. Bon Chien. We managed to get a table and ordered a brat burger and mac-n-cheese sticks. Next on the beer agenda, a 4oz pour of Mikkeller 1000 IBU and glass of Bell's Two Hearted for me and a 4oz pour of Xbeeriment #44 and glass of Harpoon Winter Warmer for Robin. We made short work of our meal. The evening was topped off with 4oz pours of Brooklyn Monster Ale and Gwiniz Du from Brasserie de Bretagne.

Yesterday I went to Hero's and decided to finally start using Untappd. I checked in a Kona Pipeline Porter and a 3 Lions from Oliver Ales. I earned the 'Newbie' badge. Newbie my ass. I'm going to try and keep up with using Untappd, as long as I have my phone on me. It's actually a great way to keep track of what you drink, plus you can link it to Twitter and Facebook and make all your fellow beer friends jealous.

Old Stock Ale (bottle #2)

2011-01-27T13:36:00.005-05:00

Sometime in March of last year I picked up a 4-pack of North Coast Old Stock Ale, 2009 batch. This beer is intended to be aged. I opened on bottle over the summer, figuring it to be about a year old at that point. It was a little harsh and relatively unbalanced, and the bitterness and alcohol bite only seemed to get stronger and rather unpleasant as it warmed up. I don't think I finished it. Obviously, I did this to see what the beer is like at an early age.

Last night I opened my second bottle and the results were noticeably different. It's more balanced, sweeter, with a nice earthy woodiness, a little caramel, maybe some cocoa and vanilla. Still has a bit of the alcohol bite like the first bottle. I'm thinking the third bottle will get opened another year or 18 months from now. I could probably buy another vintage to see it ages and even how the different years compare to each other... but I'm not sure I want to make my beer drinking so complicated.

Theobroma

2011-01-27T13:04:00.004-05:00

Theobroma is part of Dogfish Head's 'Ancient Ales' series. The recipe is based on chemical analysis of Honduran pottery dating back to 1200 BC. The original drink was the earliest known alcoholic chocolate drink and one of the earliest examples of cocoa used for human consumption. This modern version is brewed with cocoa nibs, cocoa powder, honey, ancho chilies, and annatto seeds. As far as the chocolate thing goes, I really didn't get it. When the beer warmed up a bit I did taste a little bitterness that reminded me of dark chocolate, but I never detected any actual chocolate flavor. You could definitely taste the chilies though. The beer was pretty refreshing though. Prickly carbonation, pretty light body, a nice sweetness from the honey and a little bite from the chilies. Finished the entire bottle in about 20 minutes. Maybe I was just thirsty.

Avery & Great Divide

2011-01-24T15:27:00.005-05:00

I had a couple beers yesterday while watching football. First up, Avery Dépuceleuse. Brewed with sour cherries, brettanomyces yeast, and aged in zinfandel barrels. Tart, sour cherry flavor is right up front, but with some other fruit flavors in there too like grape and apple. Fairly light body. Sharp carbonation on the tongue. The ABV is 9.5% but it's hidden pretty well. I questioned whether it was actually that strong though, because I drank it on an empty stomach and didn't feel a thing. Pretty good overall.

Next, Great Divide 16th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA. Aroma is all hops and smoky wood. The oak is a bit stronger than the hops in terms of flavor, but overall the beer was very well balanced. Definitely not implying there was too much oak. A little on the heaver side and not as crisp or refreshing as other double IPA's. I got more fruit and citrus flavor as it warmed up. Very smooth and drinkable. I found myself taking pretty large gulps of it. The 10% ABV is hidden in the flavor but pretty obvious once the 22 oz are sitting in your belly. Nice double IPA for cold weather.

Tasting Room at The Bruery

2011-01-19T10:51:00.008-05:00

I just got back from a work trip in Anaheim, but I won't bore you with that crap. The good part of the trip was Saturday night when Marc, Rhett, and I went to The Bruery. The tasting room is at the back of the brewery itself, separated from the main brewing equipment by a row of fermenters. There were stacks of oak casks lining the walls, a handful of tables scattered around, a small 6-seat bar, and behind it 14 tap handles. At our end of the bar there were glasses filled with barley, rye, whole leaf hops, and oak chips.

the hops

dark roasted barley on the left, rye on the right

Lucky for us, there were 3 seats open at the bar, so we sat down and went straight for the beer. Marc and Rhett started with flights while I kicked things off with a glass of 7 Grain Saison (brewed with barley, oats, rice, wheat, corn, rye, and spelt). Low on ABV, a little hoppy, refreshing, but no where near the caliber of Saison Rue or Saison de Lente, or any other saison I could think of for that matter.

7 Grain Saison

After getting their first few tastes, Marc and Rhett said the beer was awesome and that they were really glad they came. I would have gone by myself if it had come down to it, but I was really glad I had some company. Next, I started a flight of my own; Orchard White, Saison de Lente, 3 French Hens, and Old Richland. Orchard White was good, but not what I was in the mood for I guess, and I finished it fast so I could move on. Saison de Lente kills 7 Grain Saison, but I wouldn't compare it to Saison Rue. It's a much lighter, different beer. Saison de Lente smells good, tastes awesome, and is very refreshing. I'd had 3 French Hens before but what the hell, it's so damn good how could I resist another taste?

Finally, Old Richland. I believe you can only get this at The Bruery itself. Old Richland is an American Barleywine dry hopped with Sterling, Centennial, and Simcoe... twice! It smells like liquid hops in your face, and it tastes amazing. At 9% ABV, you will feel it, especially if it's not your first, as was the case with me.

my glass of Old Richland

When Rhett finished his flight, he decided to stop, and just take sips of anything he hadn't had that Marc and I got afterwards. I can't remember what Marc finished with, but I went with a glass of Mischief (still my absolute favorite brew of theirs). After closing our tab, we talked with the bartender while munching on sliced steak and garlic fries with chimichurri sauce and chipotle shrimp tacos from the roach coach parked conveniently outside. Just before the tasting room closed (10pm), the bartender gave us a taste of Oude Tart, a Flemish-style sour red ale. Rhett liked the aroma but wasn't sure he liked the taste or not. Marc took a couple sips, but I downed most of it. I've become a huge fan or funky, tart, or sour beers. Oude Tart rocks. I forgot that I've actually had this before, at Brewvival 2010. I hope they have it again this year.

Visiting The Bruery will definitely become a tradition when we're in Anaheim for the NAMM show. It's a bit further away, but maybe next year we'll have time to visit Stone too.

Marc (left), Rhett (center), me

Wild Dog Coffee Stout, Batch 2

2011-01-10T00:06:00.006-05:00

A great coffee stout from Flying Dog brewed with a special roast from Black Dog Coffee company. A little chocolate, a little vanilla, nice coffee flavor and definitely on the mellower, sweeter side rather than strong and bitter. Creamy. Good, simple flavors. Very delicious. It was a nice afternoon snack while watching football. I also recommend Great Divide's Espresso Oak Aged Yeti.

Devil Dancer

2011-01-10T00:00:00.005-05:00

Here is Founders Brewing Company's ass-kicking triple IPA.

Heavy on the hops. 112 IBU's. Dry hopped for almost a month with 10 different varieties. Thick and almost syrupy in texture. I recommend drinking it by itself, like after work but before dinner. This will make your taste buds go so crazy you won't be able to handle anything else, and I mean that in a good way!

Bashah

2011-01-09T23:49:00.006-05:00

A collaboration from BrewDog and Stone. How could it not be awesome? They call it a "Black Belgian Style India Pale Ale". I actually drank this almost a year ago (January 30, 2010) but I never posted about it. I was going through my photos and decided better late than never. It's post worthy because I know it was super tasty.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T18:35:00.022-05:00

It's a new year and the holiday season is over, but not without a good amount of superb beer having been consumed. The day after Christmas, my friend Robin at Good For The Palate hosted an evening party filled with food and drink. To start things off, I opened a bottle of The Bruery's Rugbrød, a dark, Danish-style rye ale ('rugbrød' apparently means 'rye bread' in Danish). Pours brown with a hint of red, kind of a dark auburn I guess, with a very thick head that almost makes you feel like you're about to take a bite of a tasty piece of bread. Creamy texture. Spicy notes, fig and prune, a little earthy, nutty, with just a touch of that rye bitterness. Huge fan of rye beers and this one did not disappoint!

Rugbrød

Next up was Robin's bottle of Allagash Odyssey, a very dark ale aged in oak barrels. I had Odyssey once before, at the 2010 Charleston Brewvival, and I had it in my head (without looking at the bottle first) that it was a stout. It's not, but you could easily be fooled by the thick body, heavy lacing, and extra dark brown, almost black color. The oak aging is obvious even as you pour, and when you take a sip there is a nice oaky flavor and a burst of alcohol, though it's not overpowering. A little coffee and cooked brown sugar, and with more vanilla and sweetness as it warms. It was snowing the night of the party, so I decided to take the shot of this one outside.

Odyssey

Like I have done with books in the past, sometimes I buy something based on first appearance. I love the artwork on the bottle of Tilted Smile, part of Uinta Brewing Company's 'Crooked Line' of beers. At this point I was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol, and I didn't make many mental notes of this beer. It was good, but that's about it. Nothing memorable, but very drinkable and a nice break from the two heavier beers I'd had earlier in the evening. Crisp, with a light hop flavor. Is it just me or does the 'Imperial Pilsner' beer style seem to just be a pilsner recipe with pilsner or medium malts and extra hops, almost a combination of a pilsner and a light IPA? Not that I'm complaining... I love Dogfish Head's My Antonia (more on that later).

Tilted Smile

New Years Eve. I stayed in this year. I'm 27 years old now and although I still love a night out at the bar or a rowdy party now and then, I did not want to deal with 'the crazies'. My dad calls New Year's 'amateur night'. It's true. People who don't even drink that often to begin with come out in droves and drink more than they should even if they were staying at home and not endangering anyone. I do not like being in that kind of mess.

First up was The Bruery's 3 French Hens. It is 75% Belgian-style dark ale blended with 25% (I'm assuming of the same batch) aged in French oak. Pours a fairly clean brown with a small head that thins quickly but continues to play around on the surface. Very much Belgian on the nose and palate. Strong, complex aromas and flavors, but very well balanced. Bready, yeasty, dark fruit, nutmeg, cinnamon, a little vanilla, figs, caramel... yum.

3 French Hens

Second in line was Baltimore brewer Brian 'Stillwater' Strumke's Belgium-brewed import beer, 'of Love & Regret'. First off, the carbonation is lively, suds pouring out as soon as I popped the top. I set the beer in my goblet and let the suds slowly drip down and settle so I wouldn't lose too much beer (nice trick by the way). Love & Regret is another saison style from Stillwater, this time brewed with beermaster Jef Goetelen in Beerzel (Antwerp), Belgium. This is Brian's 'spring' beer, and he incorporated several botanical elements into the brew; heather, chamomile, lavender, and dandelion. The result is a lightly funky, earthy, and refreshing beer with aromas and flavors to match. It really is what Brian intended it to be, a "liquid interpretation of the spring season... like a fresh meadow in spring." Absolutely delicious.

of Love & Regret

We also had a bottle of Dieu du Ciel Dernière Volonté (no photo, sorry!). Cloudy golden color with a nice white head. Sweet lemon and spice on the nose. Has a great, funky flavor, with lemon, grapefruit, pear. Light, citrus hop flavor, not so much pine. Robin stopped by on New Years and had some of this with me and she really liked it. I did too, so I'll probably get another bottle (it was only $4.99 at Dawson's) and have another round (this time with a proper photo).

So, now that 2010 is over, I wanted to throw out my picks for the best beers I had over the 12 months. I've had so many that it's hard to choose. I've documented dozens through BEERsimple but there are dozens more that aren't mentioned here (I have a notebook with a bunch of scribble, sometimes just the name of a beer, sometimes with tasting notes, and sometimes even with the label torn from the bottle).

In no particular order...

De Dochter van de Korenaar L'enfant Terrible - This beer made me fall in love with funky, sour beers.

Bell's 2 Hearted Ale & Founders Red's RyePA - Both of these beers I had for the first time while visiting Michelle in Michigan (Bell's and Founders are both Michigan breweries). My first taste of 2 Hearted was from a hand pump at Slow's BBQ in Detroit. Michelle and I split a 6-pack of RyePA while watching movies one night on the couch. 2 Hearted may actually have topped 60 Minute IPA and Green Flash West Coast IPA as my favorite hoppy beers, but unfortunately I can't get it in MD. Absence makes the heart grow fonder I suppose. Not only are these beers awesome, but they will always remind me of my summer with Michelle.

Brooklyn Detonation Ale - One of the most powerfully flavored/hopped beers I've ever tasted. My favorite from my first trip to ChurchKey.

Dogfish Head Bitches Brew & My Antonia - I have never been a fan of World Wide Stout of Chicory Stout, so I was overjoyed when Dogfish released Bitches Brew and not only is it (in my opinion) worlds better than their other stouts, but it was one of the most delicious, smooth, and chocolately stouts I've ever had. My Antonia is a collaborative effort between Sam Calagione and Birra del Borgo in Italy. In a process that is fast becoming tradition, each company used the same recipe to brew their own version. I haven't had the Italian version, but Dogfish's version is a delicious 'Imperial Pilsner' brewed with (no surprise here) pilsner malt, but continually hopped with Noble and West Coast hops. The first time I had a glass, it was with Sam Calagione himself at a private event at RFD in Washington, DC.

Oliver Ales 3 Lions - Another local beer, native to Pratt Street Ale House in Baltimore. I was disappointed when my favorite local beer bar, Heroes, stopped carrying Brewer's Art's Pale Ale and soon after, Resurrection (actually it may not have been their fault; I don't know the story). Fortunately, Heroes started serving 3 Lions, a delicious strong brown ale.

Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast - click here to see previous post

Honorable mention... Stone Vertical Epic 10.10.10

My next three picks are breweries and not specific beers; Nøgne Ø, Stillwater Artisanal Ales, The Bruery. These guys represent what I would want in terms of success as a brewery, if I were a brewer myself. All the beers I've had from all three brewers are insanely delicious, have a ton of flavor, are well balanced, and are also beautifully packaged. I recommend anything they have to offer. I've had the pleasure of enjoying the following from each:
Nøgne Ø: Batch #100, Brown Ale (favorite), Imperial Stout, India Pale Ale, Saison, Two Captains
Stillwater: Stateside Saison, Cellar Door (tie with Existent), Autumnal, Existent, of Love & Regret, A Saison Darkly
The Bruery: Saison Rue, Saison de Lente, Mischief (favorite), Rugbrød, 2 Turtle Doves, 3 French Hens

Biére Ambrée Parfumée au Tarry Suchong

2010-12-27T12:29:00.006-05:00

Brewed by Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes (BFM) in Switzerland. This is a medium bodied amber ale brewed with smoked tea leaves. Didn't pick up much from the aroma other than the sweetness. Tastes of lightly burnt tea, sugar, a little honey, just a little smokiness. There was a bit of dirt, grass, and funk in the flavor, with a light sourness that I liked. Interesting twist on an amber ale, though maybe just a tad on the sweet side. Worth checking out though, for sure.

21st Amendment Back In Black

2010-12-27T12:14:00.007-05:00

This is a 'black IPA' from 21st Amendment. Black IPA's are typically traditional IPA recipes but brewed with rich, dark malts in place of or in addition lighter malts. Pours a very deep reddish-brown, not quite opaque black, with a generous white head. Roasted malt and coffee on the nose, not bursting with hops. Tastes about the same, dark malt, coffee, a little cocoa, and a hint of orange peel. Nice carbonation, dry finish. Pretty well balanced - a great IPA for winter!

Sam Calagione

2010-12-09T19:14:00.013-05:00

Last night I attended a private beer tasting / meet and greet with Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head, at RFD in Washington, DC. It was a sort of thank you event for the employees and guests of Premium Distributors, who distribute Dogfish Head in DC. Folks started to gather in the 'Back Room' at RFD around 5pm and wasted no time getting things started. The back bar was loaded with Dogfish brews...

In bottles: Chicory Stout, Burton Baton
On tap: 60 Minute IPA, 90 Minute IPA, Midas Touch, World Wide Stout, My Antonia, and Bitches Brew

Here's the tap handle for Bitches Brew (note the inscription on the lower cog - "Analog beer for the digital age")

World Wide Stout and My Antonia were the only two I hadn't previously enjoyed, but I could not resist starting with a Bitches Brew draft, since I've already had it from the bottle and loved it so much. I did have a quick taste of the My Antonia and knew that I would need a full glass later on. I mingled for a bit, talking with one of the guys from Premium and some of the other guests, a mix of bar and liquor store owners and fellow beer nerds. Pretty soon a buffet was laid out and everyone dug in. Sam hadn't arrived yet, held up by traffic. While working on some chicken tenders and a bratwurst, I had a glass of World Wide Stout. Sam arrived around 6:30 or so and gave a quick speech about craft beer, thanked everyone for their support, apologized for not being able to meet the current demand but reflected positively on that point, noting that having 100% of your finished product sold every day is an amazing thing in this economy, even if people are screaming at you for more.

After the speech, one of the guys from Premium introduced me to Sam and we spoke for 10 minutes or so. I told him about BEERsimple and he suggested I email his wife, Mariah, the link because she likes to stay on top of the web stuff. I was wearing a work shirt and he asked what the '513' was for. I explained that I worked for PRS Guitars and that the 513 is a model we make. Sam told me about a guy who wanted a mandolin made out of the same Palo Santo wood that Dogfish used to build the 10,000 gallon wooden tank used to brew their Palo Santo Marron. I told him we do plenty custom work, including mandolins, and that if got us the wood, PRS could definitely build it! I mentioned my penchant for drinking High Life whenever I need something refreshing and very cheap to drink, and Sam laughed but seemed to appreciate my candor. At the end of our conversation he lifted his empty glass, laughed and said he really needed to pee, then put his hand up for a high five. I got a quick photo with him and we parted ways.

I stayed for a little while longer so I could enjoy a full glass of My Antonia, which by the way is a generously hopped imperial pilsner. I've seen the bottles in stores but never picked one up, but now that I've tasted it, I will definitely grab a bottle next time I'm at the store. It may be in my top 10 for this year.

And that, my friends, is how I met Sam Calagione.

Alewife

2010-11-29T13:34:00.012-05:00

I went to Alewife yesterday before and again after attending the Ravens game. They've got a great selection of 40 draughts and probably twice that many in bottles. They have two huge chalkboards on the walls facing the bar that show their current draught and bottle offerings.

Alewife's draught menu

I started of with a glass of The Bruery's Mischief, a Belgian style strong ale. I love this beer! Yesterday was my first experience and it's already at the top of my favorites list for 2010. Just looking at the clear, golden liquid in my glass made me think "crisp, refreshing, smooth" and I was right. Mischief is complex and very well balanced. There was a little tartness to it almost like white grape juice that I really liked. Notes of pear, a little lemon, and sugar, with a little earthiness, lively carbonation although not too prickly (there's that word again, prickly), and a dry finish. My hope is that it is just as good from the bottle as it is on draught.

After wolfing down Alewife's "Cubano" sandwich, I tried a bottle of Bink Bruin.

The Bink was okay. Poured deep brown with a tan head. Yeasty, 'dirty'/musty aroma and taste, which I liked. Some hints of cinnamon and toffee. Smooth and a little viscous, bitter, easy to drink, but not a ton of character. Interesting, but just didn't do it for me I guess.

After the game I had a Great Divide Fresh Hop draught. Deep golden orange color, very clean look. Lively carbonation, leaves really nice lacing all the way down the glass. Some grassiness from the hops, pine and citrus notes, but not overly pungent. Creamy mouthfeel. A little bit of a bite. More hops and less malt flavor fooled me into thinking this was an IPA, not just an 'American pale ale'. I enjoyed Fresh Hop a lot and could have had 3 or 4 more if I didn't have to go home.

Notes on Alewife itself...

First off, I love the building. I'd been in it before when it was... Lucy's? I think that was it. Anyway, really cool building, tall ceilings, dark woods. Nicely varied selection of beer, 40 draughts and at least twice as many bottles. The food is great, and they even have some nicer menu items you won't see at typical 'beer bars', such as ox tail or rockfish. I really liked my Cubano sandwich, although I would have liked the mustard/pickle spread to have more pickle (or maybe the two could be separate); the crab soup and butternut squash soup are both really delicious. Duck fat is a placebo to some but I did think the duck fat fries were seasoned well and tasted better than the regular ones. The spinach/artichoke dip had big tasty chunks of artichoke but was a tad oily (just needs a little tweak). The shrimp croquettes are good and the mussels are delicious and have a nice chile kick. Not that I come to a beer bar to drink coffee or hot chocolate but I was surprised to hear that they don't serve any hot beverages. Not a problem for me, but could be for some. Service was great; fast; staff are knowledgeable. They'll give you shooter-sized tastes of any draughts before you order a glass. They've got a few big TV's if you like sports and good beer. Could be a little loud in a crowd or with the music cranked up because of the high ceilings, but that doesn't particularly bother me. There were two other beer lovers there at the same time I was; one writing his tasting thoughts in a notebook, and another setting her glass of what I'm pretty sure was Stillwater Cellar Door up by the window to get a nice picture with her small DSLR. The location is easy to get to but isn't near too many other similar places, so it could be considered 'out of the way' by some. Nonetheless, with a little time I think Alewife will become a go-to place for many beer lovers. I'm definitely going again soon.

This past weekend

2010-11-23T14:43:00.012-05:00

This weekend was a good one for beer.

On Friday I went to my friend Marc's house. He made some really delicious sliders while we each downed a can of 21st Amendment Back In Black IPA. It's deep brown in color, essentially black once poured, and has soft citrus and grassy notes. I've found that canned pales and IPA's are often easy on the palate, lacking the bite the bottled ones have, but in no way is this a bad thing. Back In Black has a light roasted flavor from the malt, and is very smooth through each sip. A little bitter at the end... Once the sliders were ready I cracked open the 750ml bottle of Stillwater Cellar Door, a farmhouse ale brewed with white sage. Hazy golden color with fluffy white head. Smells of earth, grass, a little citrus. Dry body with a refreshing, lively, prickly carbonation (love that word, prickly). Flavors of lemon and orange, with some spice and pepper notes as well. Very well balanced.

For dessert, we headed out to the fire pit and opened up the Schlafly Reserve 2008 barleywine. Smokey, vanilla aroma, with obvious high alcohol content. Thick, viscous, deep rusty brown in color with very little head unless you pour vigorously. Flavors of oak, vanilla, caramel, with a nice nutty aftertaste. Leaves the palate relatively clean, forcing you to go back for more sips!

On Sunday I got together with a whole bunch of friends for our second annual pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving potluck dinner (yes, I meant to say Thanksgiving twice). I started things off with a can of 21st Amendment's Fireside Chat. It sounded interesting, and as expected from 21st Amendment, comes uniquely packaged, but I was a bit disappointed. I was expecting more from this "spiced English ale". It was easy to drink and not over-spiced. However, without the spice I think it would not have had any flavor at all, but the spices present did not seem to be the right ones, or mesh with each other. Oh well. After everyone had finished at least their first plate of food (everyone brought a dish and there were at least 20 people there), I opened up the Saison Rue, a Belgian-style Rye ale with brettanomyces yeast, from The Bruery. Pours a brownish-gold color. Spicy aroma with that lovely rye character (I have been really loving rye beers this year) and a little funk courtesy of 'Brett'. Light citrus taste, notes of dark fruit; a little earthy, and pleasantly sweet. Very rich with a lot of flavors going on. I plan on getting another bottle soon. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I shared this with and toasted to my beer-loving friends; Dong, Robin, Ben, Nikki, Justin, and Kristin.

For dessert I brought a bottle of Great Divide's Espresso Oak-aged Yeti imperial stout. This took care of my desire for both a solid dessert and some sort of coffee-like beverage. Pours black, like black hole black, but with a rich golden brown, bubbly head, looking almost like melted dark chocolate. The stuff barely moved in the glass, and coated the sides almost like cough medicine - very thick. Once poured, immediate smell of dark roasted malt, dark chocolate, coffee, and a little oak from the aging. Big, intense flavors; more dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel, and of course espresso. Oak and hop flavors are very subtle, almost undetectable. A little alcohol bite. Good for sipping, and great for experiencing the taste opening up as it warms. Pour over a scoop of vanilla ice cream or put some whipped cream in to make a light float. Delicious!

Recent (and some not so recent) events

2010-10-21T20:06:00.002-04:00

I've had a lot to drink this year... I was happy to find New Belgium Fat Tire at a hotel bar in Anaheim, I found Southern Star Pine Belt Pale Ale, New Holland Dragon's Milk, Dark Horse Plead the 5th Imperial Stout, Founders Dry Hopped Pale Ale, and Founders Double Trouble at Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati while visiting my friend Jason. I enjoyed a rare bottle of De Dochter van de Korenaar Embrasse that I got from Dawson's here at home. My friend Robin brought me back bottles of Avery Seventeen Black Lager, Founders Devil Dancer, Epic Armageddon IPA, and Coronado Idiot IPA from Charleston Beer Exchange for my birthday. Also for my birthday, my brother got me a bottle of Dogfish Head Sah'Tea (delicious!) and a 4-pack of Dogfish Head Midas Touch.

Embrasse

Idiot IPA

Dogfish Head Sah'Tea

I've also come to realize that Michigan is a state very much about beer. I've been out to visit my friend Michelle 5 or 6 times since first meeting her back in May. There are tons of breweries, a ton of brewpubs, and plenty of regular bars with great beer lists. Woodward Avenue Brewers in Ferndale brews a handful of their own, my favorite being the Green Bullet Organic IPA. Woodbridge Pub near downtown Detroit has a huge list of draft and bottled beers. I had several beers there the night we went, but only one I hadn't had before, North Peak Majestic Wheat. After visiting her family in East Lansing, Michelle and I stopped at Beggar's Banquet for lunch. Beggar's has a constantly rotating list of 18 craft beers, and offers flights of 4 of anything on the menu. I introduced Michelle to Stone Russian Imperial Stout there. The best part about Michigan is that two of my favorite brewers are located there, Bell's and Founders, neither of which I can get in Maryland. Bell's Two Hearted Ale is one of my top 5 favorites of this year and would be a regular in my fridge if I could get it here. When hanging out and watching movies at Michelle's house, we'd drink Bell's Amber Ale or Founders Red's RyePA (Michelle's favorite).

I've spent a fair amount of time at my friend Kristin's house lately as well (2 football games and a housewarming party). On hand during those afternoons were Bell's Special Double Cream Stout and Bell's Porter, Avery Samael's Oak-aged ale, Southern Tier Hoppe, Ommegang Cup O' Kyndnes, and Abita Turbo Dog.

Samael's Oak-aged Ale

I recently made my first trip to Churchkey in Washington DC. Robin joined me on this trip. Churchkey have at least 75 beers on tap and hundreds more bottled. I went all draft that night, starting with a glass of Stillwater Cellar Door and a pumpkin beer flight consisting of Southern Tier Pumpking, Heavy Seas Great Pumpkin, and Heavy Seas Greater Pumpkin. Cellar Door is a delicious saison style brewed with white sage. Southern Tier Pumpking was very good, like pumpkin pie with a graham cracker crust and whipped cream. The Greater Pumpkin, which was on cask, was much more complex than the Great Pumpkin (regular draft), having more pumpkin flavor, a touch of honey, and more alcohol apparent in the taste. After finishing off a charcuterie plate and a cheese plate (with a flight of beer pairings), we moved on to a glass of North Coast Pranqster and a final flight of Monk's Fest, Brooklyn Detonation Ale (tied with Cellar Door as my favorite for the night), and North Coast Red Seal. Churchkey shares space with it's sister restaurant, Birch & Barley. Each have their own menus, Churchkey's being trimmed to pub fare (albeit really fancy pub fare) but a full menu at Birch & Barley. The food at both is delicious. We shared a fig/prosciutto flatbread pizza before heading back to Annapolis.

Last but not least, Baltimore Beer Week... There were hundreds of events and specials going on at various bars starting October 7th and ending with the Inaugural Baltimore Beer Festival in Canton on the 17th. I was happy with the number of events I made it to, especially considering I don't live in Baltimore. I stopped by Pratt Street Ale House on the 7th for the release of Channel Crossing #2, a collaboration between Stillwater Artisinal Ales and Oliver Ales (Pratt St's own resident brewing company). The following night I went to the Wharf Rat for '4 for $5' cask ales. I took the day off on the 11th (a Monday) to meet Brian Strumke from Stillwater at Dawson's Liquors for a tasting, then hopped over to DuClaw for the tapping of a 2006 keg of Devil's Milk. Next was a stop at Perfect Pour, then Oktoberfest/Pumpkin night at Victoria Gastro Pub (I had Flying Dog's Dogtoberfest). On the 14th I met my friend Kristin and her boyfriend Summer (yes, a guy named Summer) at Max's Taphouse for BBWeek specials on Harpoon (only 3 bucks until 9), after which I had a Nøgne Ø Two Captains, an Oskar Blues Old Chub, and Boulder's Never Summer on cask.

But my favorite event of BBWeek, the one I was really looking forward to, the only one I would have gone to if I had to pick, was the 7th Annual Real Ale Festival at Pratt Street Ale House on Saturday the 16th. The festival took place inside, upstairs & down, and outside the ale house. There were over 40 beers available on cask from dozens of brewers. My absolute favorites were My Monkey's Got Wood, High Tea, and Bishops Breakfast with Coffee from Olivers, the 7 Beauties Rye from Brewer's Art, Lagunitas Hop Stoopid, Flying Dog Single Hop Imperial IPA, Oskar Blues dry hopped Dale's Pale Ale, and Dogma from BrewDog.

Winter is coming, and I am fully stocked at my house. Not only do I have a bunch of Stillwater stuff I bought at the tasting plus some other beers I got the same day at the Perfect Pour, but I've still got a bottle of Schlafly Reserve Barleywine 2008, Southern Tier Cuvee, and two bottles of Sierra 30 Fritz & Ken's Ale (Pioneer Stout) from the springtime that I haven't opened yet. I have some catching up to do!

Blast from the past

2010-10-20T15:43:00.009-04:00

I was organizing photos on my computer yesterday and found a bunch of shots taken with my iPhone back in 2009. I thought I'd lost them when my phone crashed a while back, but I guess I had uploaded them to my computer and forgot about them. These are all awesome beers, with the exception of one, which will stand out, but it's sort of awesome in a different way. It can at least be appreciated for what it is. The Samaranth, Peche Mortel, and Saison all came from Charleston Beer Exchange.

Delirium Tremens (at home)

Allagash Black (at home)

Pabst Blue Ribbon tallboy - The reason this is awesome is because it only cost me a buck-fifty. It's great to have around when you end up thoroughly drunk off of good beer and no longer have the ability to enjoy anything with complex flavors. Super awesome pricing courtesy of Charles Village Pub ("the CVP") in Baltimore.

Green Flash West Coast IPA - One of my favorite IPA's. Loads of hops, not too complex but has a very refreshing, dry finish.

Urthel Samaranth Quadrium Ale (at home) - I need to get this again and remind myself how good it was.

La Biere des Collines Saison (at home) - Another that I really enjoyed and need to get again.

Dieu du Ceil Peche Mortel (at home) - I don't remember this one slaying me, but I don't remember hating it either. Oh well, suppose I'll have to try it again sometime!

Maredsous Brune (Brown) - I took my mom to Brasserie Beck in D.C. for her birthday last year, and although she isn't a beer drinker, she obviously felt obligated to try at least one while we were there. The server suggested this, and I liked it so much I ended up getting one too. It's now one of my favorite foreign beers.

Baltimore Beer Week 2010

2010-09-11T18:45:00.005-04:00

Hey everyone, Baltimore Beer Week 2010 is now less than a month away, and I hope you're getting as excited as I am. The festivities will begin with the Opening Tap Celebration on Thursday, October 7 from 6-8pm at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Tickets are $30 in advance. There are a ton of events going on, so check out the Events page at bbweek.com for a full list. I am particularly interested in the Dawson's Liquors "Meet the Brewer" from Stillwater Artisinal Ales on Monday, October 11; the 7th Annual Chesapeake Real Ale Festival on Saturday, October 16 at Pratt Street Ale House; the Heavy Seas Beer Brunch & Brewery Tour on Sunday, October 17; and the Inaugural Baltimore Beer Festival in Canton, also on October 17.

No one's perfect

2010-08-17T19:01:00.021-04:00

I've had the pleasure of enjoying what has to be over 150 different beers over the past several years, and that's just a low estimate. There are dozens that I never photographed or even took a note about, and sadly, many of those are lost from memory (although hopefully by chance we'll meet again). In many cases though, I at least snapped a photo on my phone so I'd remember. Here is a collection of different beers I've enjoyed. Put them on your list of beers to try!

I'll start with a recent personal favorite - Bell's Two Hearted Ale. I first had this on cask at Slows BBQ while visiting my girlfriend Michelle in Detroit. I can't get Bell's in Maryland, so I snag something from them almost every time I'm out in Michigan for a visit. Two Hearted is my favorite. On Bell's website, part of Two Hearted's description says "India Pale Ale style well suited for adventurous trips to the Upper Peninsula," and that's funny because this photo was taken at Michelle's family's 4th of July weekend party/pig roast in the Pickford area of "the U.P."

at Brasserie Beck, Washington, DC:
Tripel Karmeliet

Barbãr Winter Brassin

Corsendonk Abbey Pale Ale

Kasteel Donker

at Ale Mary's, Baltimore, MD:
Great Divide St. Bridget's Porter - Couldn't find this on their website, maybe it's discontinued or it was a special batch...? That or I'm blind.

Corsendonk Abbey Brown Ale

at Old Stein Inn, Edgewater, MD:
Paulaner Salvator Dopple Bock - My favorite beer to have at Old Stein, it goes with everything!

at Poe's Tavern - Sullivan's Island, SC:
New Belgium Fat Tire - This is one of my favorite beers of all time, and like many of my favorites, is not available in Maryland. I've had it several times on tap at Poe's, and in bottles when I've been in California for work, and now I hear they're doing cans!

at the 2010 Charleston Brewvival:
De Dochter van de Korenaar L'enfant Terrible - Had a taste of this at the 12 Percent Imports stand at the Brewvival, deliciously funky!

at Buz & Ned's BBQ - Richmond, VA:
J.K.'s Scrumpy Hard Cider - Not a beer, but a very palatable hard cider that went well with the ribs I had for dinner (Buz & Ned's has a very good beer list as well, which includes Chimay and Dogfish among others). Don't knock me for this, I love beer, it's my beverage of choice, but I'm not a snob.

at Tapas Teatro - Baltimore, MD:
Estrella Damm - Nothing special, but it was nice to see a tapas place actually serving a Spanish brew.

Finally... Detroit trip

2010-06-09T18:11:00.012-04:00

I've had a ton going on recently. Work is busy, I've been out of town a few times, lots of gigs with my band... My beer consumption has been slightly lower than usual. I'm trying to get back on track with my beer adventure and photography. To help me get back on track, I'm finally going to post some of the details (beer related anyway) from my recent trips to Cincinnati and Detroit. My good friend Jason lives in Cincinnati and we try to visit every year or so. While I'm there, we usually take a trip to Jungle Jim's International Market in Fairfield, Ohio. They have a huge selection craft and foreign beers and I always end up picking up a few things for enjoying during the trip, plus when I get home. This trip, I picked up a 4-pack of Dark Horse Brewing's Plead the 5th Imperial Stout, a 4-pack (16 oz cans) of Southern Star Pine Belt Pale Ale, a six of Founders Dry Hopped Pale Ale and a four of Founders Double Trouble Imperial IPA, a 750ml bottle of Ithaca Excelsior alpHalpHa, and bombers of New Holland Brewing Dragon's Milk and Nøgne Saison.

After 5 days in Cincinnati, I headed north to Michigan to visit my new friend Michelle. We met through a mutual friend (who went to high school with Michelle but currently lives in Annapolis) on Facebook. We had struck up a conversation sometime in April then started talking regularly on the phone. After hearing my Cincinnati road trip plans, Michelle suggested I come visit, being only a few hours north. In addition to beer, I have a thing for cute tattooed girls and I couldn't say no. Michelle lives in Ferndale, a suburb of Detroit. I got to her place on Thursday afternoon and we headed straight to Woodward Avenue Brewers, otherwise known as "the WAB". We grabbed dinner and some beers; Michelle had the Raspberry Blonde while I had their all-organic IPA, Green Bullet, which was very hoppy, earthy, yet surprisingly smooth and well-balanced. I had a few more of these a few nights later. On Saturday night we cooked out on the grill and Michelle and I shared the Nøgne Saison and the alpHalpHa.

The Nøgne Saison was very refreshing on that hot afternoon. It doesn't have as much of the funk that other saison style beers do, and instead has a little more hop presence, though I wouldn't call it "hoppy". Aromas of grass, lemon, sour apple. The flavor was subtle, but very smooth, which probably contributed to Michelle's enjoyment, as she'd never had a saison before and may have been turned off by a funkier one. Another great beer from the brewery I can't seem to stay away from... Nøgne.

Next we popped open the Ithaca Excelsior alpHalpHa. Very lively beer. Got a lot of suds just opening it, and it had been sitting on the table for a few minutes. Instant smell of orange, pine, and the Cascade hops. It's a very "dirty" beer, with lots of sediment. Honey is definitely noticeable in the flavor, as well as grapefruit and orange, with a nice bitterness to it but not overly dry. I've never seen this back home in Maryland, so it was nice to be able to try this.

On the last day of my stay in Detroit, Michelle and I headed closer to the city, to Michigan Central Station, a beautiful old abandoned train station, to get some photos. We met some great folks from Canada and ended up sticking with them through our entire journey through MCS, from break-in to escape. Afterwards, the Canadians said they were going to Slows Bar-B-Q for dinner and asked Michelle and I to join them. I'd heard of Slows before, it was featured on one of those Travel Channel or Food Network shows about BBQ. Anyway, we were just excited to get out of the heat, have a beer or two, and eat some great BBQ, but I was even more pleasantly surprised when I saw the beer offerings at Slows:

New Holland, Southern Tier, Mikkeller, Bell's, Founders, Jolly Pumpkin, Dogfish, Victory...
I started off with a glass of Bell's 2 Hearted Ale. I can't get Bell's in MD, though I've seen Oberon in DC, but I was able to try a handful of their beers at the Charleston Brewvival back in February. The 2 Hearted Ale was actually from a firkin, also exciting, as it was my first time having a hand pumped beer. I knew the beer would be "warm" but I was surprised how "chilly" it started off, about 55 degrees, maybe a little more. Beautiful golden orange color, soft fluffy head. Well balanced, with tons of flavor, lots of fruit flavors, orange, lemon, pear, grapefruit. Strong hop aroma, pine, grass. Absolutely delicious! My favorite beer of the trip. I need to pick some up next time I see it, which will probably be when I'm in Detroit next Friday to visit Michelle again!

After the 2 Hearted Ale was done, I tried the Mikkeller Single Hop Nelson Sauvin IPA. Pours deep amber with big, bubbly head. Flavor and aroma unlike many IPA's, not the typical orange/pine/grapefruit thing, but more "juicy" and "substantial", like a peach, but with bit of spice to it, like nutmeg. I was having trouble picking out what was going on because the 2 Hearted Ale on an empty stomach left me a little light-headed. Michelle tried a sip though, and she had to have one of her own. I'll definitely find one of these and try it again (thank God something I tried on the trip I can get back home).

Stillwater Stateside Saison

2010-05-05T22:15:00.005-04:00

I really hate being hit with allergies and then getting a sinus infection on top of it. I haven't been able to breathe normally lately. I can't smell or taste anything the right way either. It makes enjoying a really good beer impossible. So, I haven't been wasting anything. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be all cleared up and can get back into the swing of things.

On the upside, I forgot that I had snapped some photos of the Stillwater Artisanal Ales Stateside Saison last week. Here they are:

Brew Free or Die IPA

2010-04-25T12:59:00.004-04:00

This is my second experience with 21st Amendment. Brew Free or Die IPA is unlike any IPA I've had before. Pours a hazy golden-yellow (not deep orange... the photo is a little dark, sorry) with a thick white head. Huge citrus on the nose, grapefruit, pine, apricot, and even a little mango. I was amazed how the "citrus" aromas of this brew were different than so many others of the same type. Prickly carbonation on the tongue, making it very refreshing, but leaving a sticky feeling in the mouth after each sip. It left some nice, thick lacing down the glass. From looking at the can, you'd think this beer would be in your face, at 7% ABV and 70 IBU's. However, this has got to be one of the most subtle IPA's out there. You can't tell that it's 7% at all, and as for the bitterness, it practically isn't there. If you were a real stickler for IPA's, you may consider Brew Free or Die to be "bland", seeing as it doesn't have the kick most IPA's are known for. But, if you enjoy beer as much as I do, you'll enjoy this interesting take on the style.

Nøgne Brown Ale

2010-04-06T21:52:00.009-04:00

I just can't get enough of Nøgne's beers. They are so delicious! I bought this bottle of Brown Ale from Charleston Beer Exchange back in February, and I'm glad I waited until yesterday to drink it. The evening was warm and Robin and I decided to eat outside. I opened up the Brown Ale to go with the shrimp boil we made.

Nøgne Brown Ale pours a deep, murky brown, with a small amount of sediment, and a generous off-white head. It has a rich, malty, bready, chocolately aroma, and makes you want to take huge gulps before you even have your first taste. Flavors of milk chocolate, roasted nuts, and a little espresso are present, as well as a hint of brown malt, and maybe a little dark fruit. The body is fairly light, but is surprisingly creamy and almost reminds me more of a stout. The carbonation is smooth and not very prickly, but is very refreshing. The hops are not noticeable... it's all about the malt (Maris Otter, wheat, chocolate, brown, amber, and caramel). Brown Ale isn't strong, just 4.5% ABV, so I didn't have any trouble finishing the bomber bottle and unlike Nøgne's #100, I didn't have to worry about the alcohol sneaking up on me.

Once again, a superb brew from Nøgne, which has become one of my favorite brewers. I can't wait to try more from them.

Sierra 30

2010-03-30T21:54:00.005-04:00

This is exciting. To celebrate their 30th anniversary, Sierra Nevada is releasing 4 beers created in collaboration with craft brewing patriarchs Fritz Maytag, Charlie Papazian, Ken Grossman, Fred Eckhardt, and Jack McAuliffe. The first brew is Fritz & Ken's Pioneers Stout. It should be available now, but I'm not sure exactly how limited these releases are. Chances are you'll want to snatch these up as quickly as possible. The second release comes in May, and is Charlie, Fred, and Ken's Imperial Helles Lager. Next comes Jack & Ken's American Barleywine in July, and finally the Brewers Reserve Oak-aged Ale in October.

Visit the Sierra 30 website for more details!

Frankfurt

2010-03-29T15:05:00.005-04:00

I just got back from a week in Frankfurt, Germany. I was over there for work, but fortunately had a bit of free time and was able to eat some great food and try some of the local beer. Of all the bars and restaurants I went to, the only major commercial beer I recognized was Beck's. None of the places had anything besides one or two drafts, and though I'm not complaining about not seeing anything American, I did expect to see Chimay somewhere. No big deal though.

I tried 5 different beers while in Frankfurt - Radeberger Pilsner, Schofferhofer Hefeweizen, Binding Romer Pils, Licher Dunkel, and a dark beer from the Czech brewery Krusovice. By the third day, I had decided that Romer Pils was to be my go-to beer for the rest of the trip. The Radeberger Pilsner seemed a little too hoppy and bitter for a pilsner, and didn't really have a lot of flavor after the first few sips. The Schofferhofer Hefeweizen was good but that's more of a summertime beer for me. The Romer Pils was great. It was creamy and well balanced, with a bit of an earthy character to it, but not bitter. The Licher Dunkel was my favorite of everything I tried, but I didn't have it until the last night I was there and didn't get a chance to have it again. The Dunkel had a thick, creamy head, with very slight hints of chocolate and coffee and a light body.

The craziest part of my beer journey in Frankfurt was my attempt to drink 5 liters of Romer Pils in one sitting. We went to a German steakhouse for dinner one night, known not only for the steak that you cook yourself on a fired stone that they bring to your table, but for their rather large portions of beer. Last year, my boss had 1 liter sized glass of beer. This year, we all asked for big beers, and I was making signals with my hands, but the waiter signaled that there was something bigger than the 1 liter glass, so I had him bring me one. It was 5 liters!!! That's 169 ounces, or 14 bottles of beer. In an hour's time, I managed wash down my goulash, fries, salad, and 10 ounces of steak with 4 out of the 5 liters of Romer Pils. That equates to 11 beers in under an hour. I didn't feel a thing until I stood up to leave, at which point I almost fell over. Now, just to be clear, I normally go for quality, not quantity, and I certainly do not condone binge drinking or anything stupid like that.

This was simply a unique experience, and if one is to conquer such a large portion of beer, it must be done quickly in order to have any hope of fitting it all in and not getting sick. I think the reason I didn't get sick is because of all the food I ate, and although I may have been able to finish all the beer if I didn't eat, I surely would have been sick. So, for someone of my size, I think 4 liters in under an hour is quite a feat. (I'm hoping the next time I'm in Europe it's on my own time so I can better document my travels and take more pictures. All I had with me this time was my iPhone.)

Raging Bitch

2010-03-16T21:24:00.006-04:00

The name of this awesome beer from Flying Dog was more than enough reason just to pick up a 6-pack of the stuff. I waited until my last bottle to take photos and write a review. I had fun going through this 6-pack. I drank each one a week apart. At least 4 out of the 6 times, I was around someone I hadn't been around while drinking the previous bottle, so it made for some interesting conversation. They typically went something like this... "Hey (dude, Chris, babe, etc), what are you drinking?" - "Raging BITCH!" That's about it. They were fun conversations for me. Not only do I love beer, but I love the word bitch. 'B' may actually be my favorite letter just because of how powerfully you can pronounce it. Try it yourself... Raging BITCH. Accent the Bitch, it's fun...

Pours a rich amber/orange, crisp and clear with a thick white head. Pine, honey, some grapefruit. Great hop flavor, bitter, but without the bite.

A few words on "Belgian-style India Pale Ale". I don't think Belgian when I think IPA, and vice versa. And while IPA's certainly didn't originate in America, it definitely something American brewers are famous for, if not simply having a knack for. So it puzzles me that the name "Belgian-style IPA" basically describes a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy. However, there's a bready yeastiness in Raging Bitch that is not part of the typical American IPA, so the name is justified, even if it is a misplaced way of saying that you're drinking an IPA with Belgian yeast. Anyway, the best part of Raging Bitch is the smooth, mossy, earthy flavor. I drank my last one outside today while taking pictures of moss and fungus growing in my back yard (P.S. there were some really crazy colors so I'll post those in case anyone's interested). I could smell the hops from a few feet away. Delicious.

Nøgne India Pale Ale

2010-03-10T18:38:00.003-05:00

Another awesome brew from Nøgne in Norway. I think I'm becoming addicted. Their IPA pours a deep, cloudy, rich, caramel brown. Huge, fluffy white head. Very balanced aroma, pine, grapefruit, floral, but the hops aren't too sharp in the nose. The flavor is sweet, earthy, hoppy, but not overwhelming, with notes of honey to smooth things out. Body is on the lighter side, very easy to drink. The hops pop up prominently in the finish, imparting a smooth bitterness on the back of the tongue and throat. I love when the hops hit later, rather than with that sharpness on the tip of the tongue... it lets you drink a lot more at once! Not that that's what it's all about, but c'mon, when a beer tastes great, you don't always want to just sit back and enjoy it. Nøgne Brown Ale coming up soon...

Founders Imperial Stout

2010-03-08T22:48:00.003-05:00

As far as I know, you can't get anything from Founders Brewing in Maryland (so I was told by Perfect Pour). And as far as I know, you can no longer get this is South Carolina, where I actually bought it from. I was told that Founders was pulling out, or being pulled out (probably just temporarily) from SC. I bought a growler full of the Imperial Stout from Charleston Beer Exchange last week. I'm enjoying it now with the help of Robin, Tim (my boss), and our friend Dong.

This stuff is beautiful. It pours jet black, and it's thick, not even syrup thick, but motor oil thick. Rich aroma and flavor... chocolate, coffee, licorice, a little cherry maybe, a little vanilla, light tobacco as it warms. Not quite as thick as it looks, and surprisingly easy to drink, with a nice, tingly carbonation. Very refreshing. A little creamy. More bitterness like chocolate than like coffee. It's strong. Over 10% ABV. Definitely a warmer, with a little alcohol bite as it warms up.

Absolutely delicious, and incredibly well balanced. This is one of those beers that I would love to keep in the fridge at all times (if it weren't for my constant need to try something new each time I stop by the store). I really, really hope that Founders comes to Maryland soon.

Charleston Brewvival

2010-03-04T22:23:00.008-05:00

First of all, I lied. I did manage to get a couple photos on my iPhone, and Robin took a couple of me too. You can check out the album on Facebook.

Second, our Brewvival weekend involved not just the event itself, but much of what we did during the rest of the trip. On our way down to Charleston, Robin and I stopped at Buz & Neds Real Barbecue in Richmond (our 4th or 5th time, and now a tradition), and although we didn't get a beer this time, their fine selection, including Dogfish and Chimay among others, excites us! We got to the beach house around 2 am, and Ben and Christine a arrived a few hours later. Fast forward through the sleeping, and sleeping in, and it's noon and we're sitting down outside at Poe's Tavern in Sullivan's Island, a quick drive from the beach house in Isle of Palms and 25 or so minutes outside of Charleston. Poe's is a local legend. They've got the best fish tacos ever, some of the best burgers ever, some of the best fries ever, and the best beer menu you could ask for from a small, "out of the way" tavern... but judge them from the website, they rotate beers constantly.

So, just as we're about to sit down when Robin notices who's standing behind us - Greg Koch, CEO and co-founder of Stone Brewing. What a surprise! And just when we thought it couldn't get any better, a whole gang of lads in olive colored Dogfish Head vests walks up. They must have been staying out our way, or they heard that Poe's is the shit, or maybe they've been their before and the first two reasons I gave still apply. Anyway, Robin had a Duvel and I had a New Belgium Fat Tire to wash down the 3 yellowfin tuna tacos I had just shoved in my face.

After Poe's, we headed downtown Charleston Beer Exchange to explore. I got really excited when I noticed that they had not one but two Founders beers at the growler station, and naturally, since I can't get that stuff up here, I had to have some. I had one of the guys fill me a growler each of the Imperial Stout and the Curmudgeon Old Ale. Come to find out, my growler of Curmudgeon kicked the keg. Right place, right time I suppose. We hung out downtown a bit more, then headed back to the house. We had dinner at Red Drum in Mt. Pleasant, another great restaurant with an excellent beer menu, including the Left Hand Milk Stout I had for dessert.

The next day was what we really came for - the first ever Charleston Brewvival. The event started at noon, and about a half hour in, Greg Koch got up on stage and made a simple but great speech about the craft beer community. Robin, Ben, Christine, and I quickly started making our rounds. At some of the stands, we tried the same things, and at others, we each got a different sample and traded so that we were able to try as many beers as we could. I cannot explain how much fun I had personally, and judging from their reactions, how much fun Robin, Ben, Christine, and everyone else at the festival was having. It was such a small area, not too crowded, but small enough, and despite the number of people, everyone was having a great time, almost like one massive family picnic where everyone knew each other. The Brewvival was a huge success, and if they do it again next year, which I'm sure they will, I plan on being there.

To finish up, here's a rundown of everything I tried. There are some tasting notes for some, but not all.

Duck Rabbit Milk Stout - brewed with lactose which doesn't ferment and remains in beer - milky, chocolately, and smooth, crisp carbonation
Brooklyn Brewing Manhattan Project - a rye beer, deep amber brown, prickly, sweet, honey, a little tart, cough syrup
Weyerbacher Heresy, Insanity
Southern Star Pine Belt Pale
Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale - a special batch aged for 6 months on oak, sweet, super smoky, oaky, bitter
Ommegang Obamagang - an imperial stout brewed with cherries, bread, cherry pie, yeasty, tobacco
Palmetto Watermelon Wheat, Chocolate Bock
Avery Meph Addict - stout brewed with coffee, the best "coffee" beer I've ever had, super bitter but delicious, it actually tastes like it has cream in it, thick and highly quaffable
Avery Moloch - Belgian style strong ale, bourbon, fig, cherry
Breckenridge 471 IPA
Victory Wild Devil
Cigar City Hunahpu - stout brewed with chocolate and chiles, delicious - these guys weren't even supposed to be there!
Duck Rabbit Cherry Madness and Marzen
Foothills Sexual Chocolate and Total Eclipse
Thomas Creek Deepwater Dopplebock and Up The Creek Extreme IPA - Up The Creek is 12.5% abv, and to make it more extreme, they randallized their supply with whole leaf hops, they even had extra bags of hops at the stand and let me grab a pinch to smell, then eat!
The Bruery Saison de Lente - hoppy, citrusy, a little sour, Brettanomyces yeast
New Belgium - I didn't catch the name, but I had a sour ale that was delicious, it was the last beer I had before we left
Allagash Odyssey
Stone bourbon barrel Russian Imperial Stout

12 Percent Imports was also present, serving Embrasse and L'Enfant Terrible from Brouwerij De Dochter Van De Korenaar in Antwerp, and Bierbrouwerij Grand-Café Emelisse Russian Imperial Stout. I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting for a few minutes with 12 Percent founder Brian Ewing.

As I said before, Charleston Brewvival was a huge success and a ton of fun. If you're a beer geek and you didn't go this year, I would seriously consider going next year. On top of going to a beer festival, Charleston is a beautiful place to visit.

Brewvival

2010-03-03T16:53:00.004-05:00

I was so busy having a good time down in Charleston that I didn't even post anything while I was down there for the Brewvival. Believe me though, trying to take photos, take a few tasting notes, chat with the brewers and other beer geeks, and sample the 75+ different beers on site was quite a lot to handle. I nixed the photo idea and stuck with simply trying the beers and having a good time.

While I was down in SC I also stopped by the Charleston Beer Exchange (CBX) who, along with Coast Brewing Company, is one of the 2 co-sponsors of the Brewvival. CBX is a small shop. The main room is maybe 12 feet wide and 15 feet deep. In the right corner there they have a half-dozen or so taps for growler fills. There are a few of the typical glass refrigerators, but most of the beer is shelf kept. There's a hallway that goes to the employees only area that is also lined with shelves, but the corridor is so narrow that 2 people can't even walk through side by side. However, CBX is host to a great selection of craft and foreign beers as well as many types of glassware. While there, I checked out what they had at the growler station, and saw that they had 2 beers from Founders Brewery of Grand Rapids, Michigan (which I don't believe you can get in MD); the Imperial Stout and the Curmudgeon Old Ale. I had them fill me a growler of each, and just my luck, the Curmudgeon kicked right after my growler was filled! I will be opening that with some friends tonight, and possibly the Imperial Stout as well.

Nøgne #100

2010-02-19T22:14:00.011-05:00

This, my friends, is one delicious beer...

Batch 100 started out as a celebratory brew for the brewers at the Norwegian brewery Nøgne, but word leaked and pretty soon there was enough demand that they started producing it commercially.

It pours a deep, rusty brown with a thin off-white head. It has a sweet and slightly earthy aroma, with some subtle chocolate and nutty notes. With 80 IBU's, it's bitter, and while you can taste the hops, they're more restrained and don't have the bite of an IPA. There is a great combination of flavors in here - some vanilla, dark fruit, coffee... but the most interesting, and hence my favorites, are grapefruit and gingerbread. As soon as I caught the gingerbread, I had to run to the kitchen to grab one of Robin's homemade molten chocolate gingerbread cookies that I was lucky enough to have not finished. Man, that was a tasty combo. The finish is dry but not too much, and although it's 10% ABV, the alcohol is extremely well hidden.

One might think I'm not picky when it comes to beer, but that's just because I don't usually post the beers I don't like (such as Equinoxe du Printemps). I want whoever reads what I think to get excited about trying something new, not discouraged. I do enjoy almost every beer I try, and Nøgne #100 is one that I really, REALLY enjoyed, and plan to again.

Charleston Brewvival

2010-02-17T13:36:00.002-05:00

Just 10 days from now, the Charleston Beer Exchange and Coast Brewing Company will be putting on the first ever CHARLESTON BREWVIVAL. Greg Koch, CEO and founder of Stone Brewing will be speaking! There will be food and live music. And lets not forget the whole purpose of this great event... beer! The following breweries will be represented at the festival:

Dogfish Head
Allagash
Duck Rabbit
New Belgium
Ommegang
Oskar Blues
The Bruery
Stone
Rogue
Southern Tier
Victory
Avery
Bell's
Brooklyn
Foothills
Highland
Palmetto
RJ Rockers
Southern Star
Sweetwater
Terrapin
Thomas Creek
Weyerbacher
...and let's not forget COAST, and more!

Tickets are $50 in advance or $60 at the door. Check out the Brewvival website for more info. I'm totally psyched that I'm going to this, not just for the beer, but because it's taking place in Charleston, my home away from home! I'm also particularly exciting about New Belgium, The Bruery, and Duck Rabbit being there, as it's difficult or impossible to get their beers in Maryland (at least for now).

Ola Dubh Special Reserve 12

2010-02-10T17:32:00.006-05:00

From Harviestoun Brewery in Scotland, Ola Dubh literally translates to "Black Oil". It is aged in whiskey casks from Highland Park Distillery used to age their 12-year whiskey, and comes in individually numbered bottles (mine was #13122 from September 2007). There are also Special Reserve 16 and 30 varieties, aged in the barrels used for the corresponding whiskey. The 12 pours pitch black (as I'm sure they all do), with some patches of carbonation but not a full head. The aroma is of rich, dark roasted malts, with some sweetness and hint of fruit. Smooth and viscous in texture, with a light/medium body. It's not as heavy as one would expect. There are a lot of flavors going on, all of which increase as the beer warms, but they never overpower. It's very well balanced... coffee, chocolate, a little vanilla, salty nuts, plus the peat and smoke imparted from the whiskey casks. The finish is incredibly clean and dry, with only a little bitterness. I enjoyed drinking the beer, but finished it pretty quickly. It didn't do a whole lot for me, but was worth a try.

By the way, the answers are yes... the floor is crooked, and that is snow coming in the porch door.

Stocked up

2010-02-09T17:38:00.004-05:00

It's been a very snowy winter here in Annapolis... a couple feet here, a dusting there, another however many inches, another dusting, and just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, we get hit with enough snow to cripple us for 4 days (26 and a half inches) but not enough to qualify for federal aid. Apparently you need 28 inches for that. Maybe we should have had an earthquake instead... (too soon?) Tonight, we're supposed to get another "10-20 inches of accumulation, depending on where you're located." That means we'll probably get the full 20, and this stuff isn't just accumulating, it's piling up, and we're running out of places to put it.

Lucky for me, I'm all stocked up.
Front row, left to right: North Coast Brother Thelonious, Maredsous "8" (Brune), Flying Dog Raging Bitch, Aktienbrauerei Steingadener Dunkle Weizen, Saison Dupont
Back row, left to right: Nøgne #100, National Bohemian, Harviestoun Ola Dubh 12, Guinness Extra Stout, Unibroue Trois Pistoles

Brother Thelonious

2010-02-06T09:17:00.006-05:00

This is a Belgian-style Abbey ale from North Coast Brewing Co. As always, part of what attracts me to certain beers is the packaging. I had heard and read about Brother Thelonious before and the beautiful artwork is easily recognizable at a store. Upon popping the top, there is an immediate sweet, sugary aroma, with cherries and a hint of brown sugar. It pours a rich, deep brown with a little red in it, and a soft tan head. There are notes of honey, vanilla, and notably cherry in the finish. It almost has a taste like Cherry Coke, but obviously way more delicious and complex, and without the prickly carbonation. There is also a bit of spice, and a slightly salty, nutty finish. At 9% ABV, it's a little strong, but pleasantly warming. The sweetness becomes a little cloying as the beer warms up, but overall this is a very good beer and a great take on the style.

Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast

2010-02-02T22:47:00.007-05:00

Here's an absolutely delicious and complex beer. It really is perfect for breakfast, or because of the light tobacco flavor, a great alternative to a cigar and cognac, or paired with dark chocolate for dessert.

Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast is brewed in Denmark. It is an oatmeal stout brewed with coffee. At 7.5% ABV, it's not super-duper strong, but I did share my bottle with Robin and Dong.

It pours black with a tan head, tons of tiny bubbles. Aromas of chocolate, coffee, cigar tobacco, and tastes of bitter dark chocolate, dark dried fruit (prune, raisin), light hoppiness, and a little smokiness too. Smooth, viscous body, but light and somewhat creamy. Bittersweet, earthy finish. I've also had the Mikkeller All Others Pale and Stateside IPA, which are a little more traditional, but equally as delicious as Beer Geek Breakfast. All of Mikkeller's brews are superb!

Three Philosophers

2010-01-25T21:17:00.005-05:00

From Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, New York, Three Philosophers is a Belgian strong ale, or quadruple, married with kriek (cherry) lambic. It is 9.8% ABV. It pours reddish brown with a light head. You can immediately smell the cherry. The body is light and slightly viscous, with prickly carbonation. Flavors are dark fruit, vanilla, molasses, and a little caramel. The finish is dry and tart, but not overwhelmingly so. The yeastiness and cherry flavor will remind you of cherry pie. Actually, it's probably a good pairing for a slice of hot cherry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Trip to the Perfect Pour

2010-01-23T16:38:00.004-05:00

Robin and I spent a little under an hour at the Perfect Pour in Elkridge, MD. They have the largest selection of foreign and craft brews I've seen around the Baltimore-Annapolis area; more than The Wine Source, more than Dawson's, possibly more than both combined. Here's what we picked up:

Schlafly Reserve Barleywine 2008 (oak aged)
Goose Island Bourbon County stout 2009 (aged in bourbon barrels)
Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast
Oliver's Blakeney Red perry cider
Flying Dog Raging Bitch, 6-pack
Trappistes Rochefort 8
Harviestoun Ola Dubh 12
Brasserie D'Oc La Mouska
BrewDog / Stone Brewing BASHAH
Aktienbraurei Steingadener Dunkle Weizen
Uerige Doppelsticke
Maredsous Brune/Bruin, 4-pack
North Coast Brother Thelonious, 4-pack

Allagash Curieux

2010-01-21T21:43:00.009-05:00

I've had two Allagash beers recently that I never had before; Three Philosophers and Curieux. I liked Three Philosophers so much that I never even thought about writing about it. I was too busy drinking it. Fortunately, I made sure I wrote some notes on Curieux when I tried it last night. Curieux (curious in French) is a Belgian Tripel that is aged in oak Jim Beam bourbon barrels for 8 weeks. This particular 750mL bottle is from November 2009. Curieux is 11% ABV.

Curieux pours a pale golden orange, very hazy. Its aroma is citrusy but with less strong as other Belgian Tripels as far as the hops go. There are hints of apple pie, pear, a little orange, and vanilla. The flavor imparted from the barrels is definitely present, in contrast to some other reviews I've seen. I'm not a huge bourbon fan, but the parts of it I do like, the sweetness and smokiness, and even a little alcohol bite, are pleasantly apparent in Curieux. The finish is dry, and a little earthy. There is thick and lively lacing that coats the opposite side of the glass each time you take a sip, or gulp. There is also a fleeting aroma and flavor of a bakery, I'm guessing from the yeast. The alcohol is more apparent as the beer warms. A superb brew!

Orval

2010-01-05T08:16:00.008-05:00

Orval is one of the 7 authentic Trappist ales (yes, there are only 7, but more on that later). Unlike some of the other Trappist breweries such as Chimay, who makes 3 varieties, Orval makes only one for distribution. Orval pours a deep amber/orange color with a thick, bubbly head. It is very earthy, grassy, like hay in a stable, and has a fruity, light hop flavor, though not bitter. The aroma is of orange, cinnamon, and honey. The mouthfeel is what I'd call perfect, not too heavy, not too light, not syrupy or viscous, with a good amount of carbonation but not too much. This bottle was almost 9 months old. I'm not sure how age affects this beer but I may buy 2 more bottles and find out. I've had all 3 Chimay beers and now the Orval. I will try the Rochefort next as it seems to be the second most readily available (Chimay being first, Orval being third). Great beer!

Old Rasputin

2010-01-05T08:13:00.008-05:00

A superb Russian Imperial Stout from North Coast Brewing in California. For many, it may be the best RIS out there. Picked some up at Dawson's, 4-pack of 12 oz bottles. 9% ABV. Pours black, with only a hint of brown at the edges where light hits the glass. Head is brown, thick, and creamy. Powerful presence of dark roasted malts. Flavors of coffee and chocolate. Light smokiness, light bitterness. Smooth, satiny feel. Full bodied, and warming. The flavors really come out as the beer warms up, which I really liked. As I posted on Twitter, this is the perfect nightcap. It is a very warming, relaxing, and delicious beer. My favorite of the few Russian Imperial Stouts I've had.

Malheur 12

2010-01-05T08:11:00.004-05:00

A dark, Belgian strong ale. 12% ABV. 750 mL bottle with cork & cage. Brewed by DeLandtsheer Brewery in Buggenhout. Pours deep mahogany with a thin, off-white head. Sweet flavor, with notes of dried fruit, raisin, fig. Also brown sugar and molasses. Surprisingly smooth and easy to drink, with only a hint of alcohol in aroma and flavor. While it didn't blow my mind, I did enjoy having a strong beer that warmed me up but didn't take a while for me to finish, though I did share it with my girlfriend. Overall, a great beer, but I'll try others of the type before coming back to this one.

Allagash White

2010-01-02T16:26:00.004-05:00

Allagash White is a regular in my refrigerator. It is an excellent Witbier brewed by Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine. It is a staple of almost every craft beer bar or store. Pours golden amber, with low carbonation until you get to the yeast. It has a mild, earthy flavor with a touch of spice. Crisp, dry finish, slightly tart, with a lingering taste of honey. Low on bitterness, only 5% ABV, and very well balanced. Great for any time of year.

Charleston Brewvival

2010-01-01T13:49:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited! I just got tickets for Robin and I to attend the first ever Charleston Brewvival on February 27! The event is hosted by Coast Brewing Company and the Charleston Beer Exchange. Greg Koch, CEO and Co-founder of Stone Brewing will be the key speaker. There will food vendors, live music, and of course - BEER! Some of the participating breweries are Duck-Rabbit, Victory, Coast, Oskar Blues, Dogfish Head, Foothills, and Stone. As many as 30 breweries will be there serving their great brews.

For more details, visit CharlestonBrewvival.com. If you live in the Charleston area, or are passing through, definitely visit the Charleston Beer Exchange to find your favorite beers.

BrewDog Riptide

2009-12-28T19:26:00.006-05:00

This is the second imperial stout I've had, ever (first was Stone Russian Imperial Stout, which I had about a year ago and loved). Crafted by BrewDog in Fraserburgh, Scotland, the Riptide "twisted merciless stout" won World's Best Imperial Stout at the 2007 World Beer Awards.

Pours very dark brown, essentially black with a hint of burgundy if you hold it up to the light, with a creamy tan head. Dark roasted malts produce notes of coffee, espresso, and dark chocolate in both aroma and flavor. This beer is smooth and silky, and surprisingly light (it is not heavy as most people would assume). The 8% ABV is noticeable in the aroma but not overpowering in the flavor. As the beer warms up, the flavors become even stronger. The best part of this beer is the finish - warm and smooth, with the lingering taste of dark chocolate... really good, bitter dark chocolate. A delicious brew!

Solstice d'hiver (and special guest)

2009-12-23T22:05:00.010-05:00

From Brasserie Dieu de Ceil in Quebec, Canada. An American-style Barleywine with 9.8% ABV. This beer has a lot going on. It pours a deep, reddish-brown with a small tan head. It's consistency is viscous and syrupy, like watered-down molasses. It's initially sweet, with a delicious roasted malt flavor, and finishes bitter and dry. There are hints of dried fruit, like raisin, prune, and fig. The bitterness comes not only from the hops but from the roasted coffee bean flavor. The alcohol is well hidden, with a very pleasant warming sensation at the back of the throat, great for sipping on a cold night.

I've also had the Peche Mortel, which I really enjoyed and intend to try again so I can post my thoughts...

On a side note, my girlfriend is having an Anchor Steam 2009 Christmas Ale, which I am stealing sips of. I know it can be aged, but it is very interesting fresh as well. It is spicy, with a chai flavor to it, and an aroma that reminds me of pumpkin pie. It is a deep blood red color with a thick, creamy tan head. I should pick up a 6-pack and drink a bottle every few months and see how the flavors change...

Oro de Calabaza

2009-12-22T19:51:00.005-05:00

I had a little fun with this beer, and by fun I mean I had to clean up after it, and by clean up after it I mean I had to clean up the beer (no, I did not have to clean myself up as a result of drinking the beer). Anyway, here's the Oro de Calabaza from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales in Dexter, Michigan. It comes in 750 mL bottles and is a Belgian-style golden ale, aged in oak barrels and bottle conditioned. My bottle had an extra, homemade white sticker on it that said "Batch 292". Oro de Calabaza was a Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal Winner 2004 and Bronze Medal Winner 2005 in the Belgian & French Ale category.

I pulled the beer out of my refrigerator and set it on the counter. Then, I walked into the other room to grab my girlfriend's camera (because it's better than mine). I came back, took a few test shots, then set the camera down and proceeded to open the beer. Surprise! Foam explosion! Needless to say, this beer has a ton of carbonation, and left a nice, fizzy, beer mess all over my countertop...

Fast forward through the cleaning process, and I'm pouring the beer into a goblet. The color is a deep, pale yellow, and hazy. It has a huge, thick, bubbly head that subsides to a thin ring around the edge of the glass that doesn't leave much lacing but follows you all the way to the end. Pinhead sized bubbles are constant. Thanks to all the carbonation, there is a very refreshing, tingly mouthfeel. There is a light to moderate hop flavor, with a lot of peppery spiciness going on, in addition to lemon. Despite the oak aging it has only a subtle woody flavor, and wasn't nearly noticeable as it is in say, Oaked Arrogant Bastard. The woody flavor is light and not something that should scare off any drinkers who normally avoid that sort of thing.

I was worried that the beer was bad when it exploded, but I didn't pick up any weird flavors. It does have wild yeast, which coul explain the extra foam and carbonation. This isn't my typical beer, so I think I was actually able to pick out the flavors a little more easily (as opposed to the subtle differences between two IPA's for example... my palate is still learning).

Green Flash Imperial IPA

2009-12-19T19:19:00.005-05:00

If you like hops, this is a great place to find it. Brewed by Green Flash Brewing in San Diego, CA, this Imperial IPA is a hop-laden juggernaut, with 101 IBU's and 9.4% ABV. It uses Summit and Nugget hops to achieve its terrific hop flavor. I have only found it in 22 oz bombers.

Green Flash Imperial IPA pours a light golden-amber color, with a small white head. It has a very earthy aroma, with a hint of pine. It is a very refreshing beer, offering a variety of tastes from its mossy, citrusy start, smooth honey-like body, to its pleasantly bitter aftertaste. I'd been meaning to try this beer since I saw it at Dawson's over the summer, but I didn't pick one up until now. Even though I very much enjoyed the beer, it is not really a good choice for cold seasons. I imagine taking massive gulps of this beer while picking steamed blue crabs in the summertime.

Although Green Flash Imperial IPA is easy to drink, the alcohol flavor is masked well and it's 9.4% ABV will sneak up on you. Like I said before, if you like hops, this is a great place to find it, and in my opinion it's one of the better big IPA's I've had. As far as Green Flash goes though, I still enjoy the West Coast IPA much more, simply because it comes in regular sized bottles, is a little less potent, and has a much drier finish which I really prefer. I'll probably review that one when summer rolls around...

Tactical Nuclear Penguin

2009-12-17T21:20:00.005-05:00

Tactical Nuclear Penguin is the world's strongest beer, or so BrewDog Brewery says. I believe them. Other sources say that Sam Adams Utopias is the strongest, but maybe not everyone knows about TNP yet. Originating in Fraserburgh, Scotland, this massive brew was matured for 18 months in oak casks before spending 21 days in an ice cream factory at -20° Celsius. This allowed the brewers to remove much of the water content of the beer and increase the ABV to a crushing 32%. Yikes! Don't worry though, TFP is meant to be served in small, "spirit sized measures", and it even says so on the bottle. Oh, and do I even need to mention how awesome the name is?

BrewDog managing director James Watt says the beer is about pushing boundaries, taking innovation in beer to a new level. One disbeliever called it a marketing ploy and questioned whey a brewer would produce a beer almost as strong as a whiskey. Here's a good question: Why not? If a distillery can make a spirit that is strong in alcohol content, meant to be mixed, watered down, or served straight up in a small portion, why can't beer? Some people need to learn to be open minded, or else keep their mouths shut.

Tactical Nuclear Penguin is limited to 500 bottles, half going on sale for £30 (about $48) and the rest going for £250 (a little over $400) with a share of the company included. Unfortunately, I doubt I'll have a chance to try this brew, but the effort these guys put into to it and the story behind it is pretty cool. Check out this entertaining (and informative) promotional video that BrewDog put together for Tactical Nuclear Penguin. These guys look like they have a lot of fun brewing their beer.

Tactical Nuclear Penguin from BrewDog on Vimeo.

Maredsous Tripel

2009-12-16T20:04:00.011-05:00

Here's another beer that I picked up at The Wine Source. This is the Maredsous Tripel, brewed by Duvel Moortgat Brewery in Belgium. I got mine in a 4-pack of bottles, but it also comes in 750mL bottles. The name is licensed to Duvel by the monks of Maredsous Abbey. I did some brief research but couldn't figure out whether the abbey ever actually brewed this beer on its premises. I think Duvel may simply have wanted a real monastery whose name they could use in order to create a line of "authentic" abbey ales. On the other hand, now that I think about it, Maredsous must have brewed its own beer at some point, because if there weren't some old recipes lying around for Duvel to follow, how could they ever claim them as authentic? Duvel definitely lent at least one thing to the Maredsous line, most noticeably the same short, wavy-necked bottles it uses for its signature golden ale.

Obviously, the Maredsous Tripel is a strong beer, at 10% ABV. When poured, the color is orange/amber, with some clarity, but not completely transparent. The head is light tan and very bubbly. The froth isn't consistent though. It's got lots of tiny bubbles mixed with huge ones that make it appear almost dough-like, or like whipped cream partially melted in coffee. Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of the head before it subsided, but maybe I'll snap one later on. The head dissipated quickly, but left thick lacing in the glass after each gulp.

The aroma is floral and fruity, as you'd expect from a Tripel. The flavors I picked out varied a bit as I went along. At first, there was a slight bitterness, more in the aftertaste, like banana or cherry, but after a few sips hints of orange, apricot, and honey came out. There was also a spice note in there, prominent but smooth and complimentary, although I couldn't put my finger on the specific flavor. It may have been cinnamon or nutmeg. I've read some other reviews that said the alcohol flavor was too strong, but it didn't bother me. Of course, it could be that the alcohol wasn't noticeable to me because I had a Sierra Nevada and a Monk's Blood beforehand. Either way, it definitely wasn't something I found bothersome even in the least. The overall taste is very smooth and refreshing. I didn't have any food with it, but I imagine pairing it with lamb or pork shank, spicy sausage, or a medium-bodied stew.

I decided to try the Tripel because I'd had the Maredsous Brune (brown ale) at Brasserie Beck in D.C. and absolutely loved it. I promise I'll review the Brune and get some pictures sometime in the future. Anyway, the Tripel is a pretty good brew but nothing about it really stands out. It's not bad, but not memorable. Don't get me wrong though, it's still a very drinkable beer, and affordable too. A 4-pack of 12 oz bottles is still the same price, or possibly cheaper than many 750mL bottles of "better" ales, depending on what you drink. If you're having guests over that enjoy something more than just the average beer, or if you simply prefer the option to stop at 12 oz rather than committing to 22, then a 4-pack of Maredsous Tripel is something you'll want to pick up at least once.

On an additional note, I had another one the next day, dead sober, and the alcohol is not overpowering at all, so if you read other reviews that say it is, take it with a grain of salt. The alcohol flavor and aroma is more apparent as the beer warms up, so if you take an hour to drink 12 oz of beer, then you may have a problem, but if you take 25 minutes or less to enjoy a single bottle, then you'll be okay.

Monk's Blood

2009-12-15T22:02:00.010-05:00

The first of my recent purchases that I tried is Monk's Blood, brewed by 21st Amendment Brewing in San Francisco. Founders Nico Freccia and Shaun O'Sullivan spent time traveling to Belgian breweries in order to develop the recipe for this fine brew. The result is an Abbey-style ale that pays homage to the monks of Belgian monasteries who, during times of fasting, subsist entirely on "liquid bread", a.k.a. beer. Monk's Blood features a unique mix of malts along with Magnum and Centennial bittering hops, Amarillo flavoring hops, and Abbey ale yeast. Special ingredients include dark Belgian sugar, cinnamon, vanilla bean, and dried figs. The final brew is aged in oak, has 34 IBU's, and is 8.3% ABV.

Part of 21st Amendment's "Insurrection Series", Monk's Blood comes in uniquely designed, sealed box of 4 cans. The cans themselves are jet black with white and red lettering. I had heard of 21st Amendment Brewing before but never tried anything from them. Aside from simply wanting to try one of their beers, my attention was grabbed by the unique packaging and also its name, which reminded me of Devil's Milk from DuClaw Brewing.

Monk's Blood pours a deep mahogany color with a hint of red. It is medium-bodied, with a smooth, creamy texture and light hazel colored head that dissipates quickly. The taste of the figs and raisins is immediately noticeable. Although strong in alcohol content, the alcohol flavor is not overbearing, and instead adds to the overall taste rather than standing out or detracting from it. The aroma is sweet and fruity, and the oak aging is obvious, although it reveals itself as a slightly nutty aftertaste rather than a full on flavor. Overall, Monk's Blood was sweeter and less bitter than I expected, but then again, it's not a typical Abbey ale. It's a great beer, complex yet easy to drink, with stronger hints of spice uncommon in its more traditional counterparts.

Recently acquired

2009-12-14T23:32:00.008-05:00

Last Friday, Robin and I spent part of the day doing some Christmas shopping on the Avenue (36th Street) in Hampden (Baltimore, MD). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find anything for anyone I actually needed to shop for. Bummer. On the bright side, being in Hampden did give us the opportunity to stop at The Wine Source on Elm Street just off the Avenue. The store name is a bit misleading because in addition to their large and rather unique wine selection, they also have hundreds of craft, foreign and micro brews, a large selection of spirits including uncommon and small batch varieties, and even a dedicated sake section. Obviously, my beverage of choice is beer, so with a little help from Robin I picked out 7 brews that I've never had before. I would have taken more time to look through the seemingly endless racks of beer, but we only had 18 minutes left on our parking slip.

Here's what we got:

Green Flash Imperial IPA
21st Amendment Monk's Blood
Maredsous Abbey Tripel
Aventinus Weizen Eisbock
Aventinus Dopplebock
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Golden Ale
Brasserie Dieu du Ceil Solstice d'hiver

Photos and reviews to follow...