Wrapping up from California

So California is turning out to be everything I hoped it would be and more. The craft beer consciousness out on the west coast seems to be much more apparent, vibrant, and alive then the south east. I've been able to drink some incredible beers otherwise unavailable to me in my local Total Wines or local beer shops. I haven't been visit any breweries, which is somewhat disappointing, but getting the whole family out the door, which is 7 of us, plus various extended family members coming and going, has been more then a daunting task. 

I'll be heading home January 2nd and have a little bit of time left to down some beer, but I thought I'd post a short list of some of my favorite beers I've had out here, thus far.

1.Mikkeller It's Alright
2.Black Butte  Porter (draft)
3.Pliny (draft)
4.Sculpin (draft)
5. Bourbon Barrel Seamonster (draft)
6. Midnight Sun Kodiak Brown
7. Lost Abbey Red Poppy
8. Bruery Levud's 
9. Consecration (draft)

Follow me on Twitter @EvilTwinCP to see what I'm drinking today. When I get back I'm gonna need to take a short break from the beer and bad food. This trip has worn me down a lot.

Cheerz,
Casey 

California

So I'm heading out to California tomorrow and it should be one for the books. I've never been out that far west so I'm pretty jazzed to check it out. I've been able to locate a bar/store or two that has:
1.Pliny
2.Sculpin
3.Speedway Stout (which I've heard isn't that hard to find)

I'll be updating while I'm out there via Twitter and Facebook, so be on the look out. When I get back into town, which is January 2nd, I'm sure I'll have plenty to write about. 

I hope everyone has a great Christmas and a Happy New Years. Everyone play it safe and us a DD.

Oh, follow me on Twitter @EvilTwinCP, if you so desire.

Cheerz,
Casey

St. Bernardus Christmas Ale

Brewer : St. Bernardus (Belgium)
Style : Belgian Strong Ale
ABV :  10%

So the raining has just started to pour and I need to get out of the house in about half an hour to get some shopping done and go to LHP to partake in my parents Christmas party. This month has been super busy for me. A lot of  traveling and beer drinking. One more trip that I'm really looking forward to is going to California next week for 10 days to spend Christmas with my girlfriends family. Being right on the beach should be a trip and a half, plus all the benefits of having that west coast beer right at my fingertips. Hopefully I can snag a few things off my want list:
1.Alesmith Speedway Stout
2.Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
3.Lost Abbey, many varities
4.Russian River

I've been told that Alesmith is everywhere so I shouldn't have a hard time with that, and I've been able to locate a bar that  has Pliny on tap as well as Sculpin. Let's just pray to the beer gods that those kegs don't get tapped before I get there. 

Enough rambling about vacations and such, on with today's review. 
Last night I broke out a bottle of St.Bernardus Christmas Ale at a Christmas party hosted by some friends. None of my friends there were "beer lovers" like me, but in good spirit and fashion of the Christmas season I figured it was the right setting to share this beer with everyone, plus I always like  to see people's reactions when I bust out a beer that's not the  norm. 
Like many St.Bernardus beers this one was highly dominated by the yeast. Dark and cloudy with a thick head. A lot of fruity characters in the aroma, mostly dried fruits such as apricots and raisins, but it also had some bready qualities as well. The body wasn't over the  top, it didn't exhaust my palate, but it wasn't light either, somewhere right in the  middle. A lot of the flavors were yeasty and fruity, as the aroma suggested, and most everyone seemed to enjoy it.

On a side note: Maybe I can sneak in a guest blogger for next weeks entries. I'm curious to see if my sister Natalie would be up for the challenge.

Grade A

 

Mikkeller Czech Pilsner

Brewer : Mikkeller (Denmark)
Style : Pilsner
ABV : 4.6%

I'm gonna keep this review somewhat short and sweet because I have to head out the door in a little bit  and I'm feeling a little  under the weather. That damn cold front got the best of me and now I'm  feeling it's wrath. 

This one is from the great  people, or person I  should  say, over at Mikkeller. I wouldn't say that  I'm a fan a pilsners but being a big fan boy of Mikkeller I  just have to  try everything they make. The color on this one was somewhat light, with yellowish gold tints and a thick foamy head. I didn't pour much into the glass because I had other beers to  sample that  night and frankly I didn't want to fly on the  plane the next day hungover. The aroma was peppery with a touch of lemon zest. The flavors were a cool blend of honey and spice,  but nothing too overpowering. The carbonation seemed fairly on point here and all the flavors seemed to blend really well together. 

Always a good time when I get to taste another Mikkeller beer. Many more to come I'm sure.

Grade B+

 

Dogfish Saison de Buff

Brewer : Dogfish Head Brewery (Delaware)
Style : Saison
ABV : 6.8%

So I was running on the treadmill today in the gym, watching the TV's not really paying attention, and I happened to noticed this credit card commercial that was showing how this brewer was starting a business and blah blah blah. It got me thinking a little bit. Is craft beers and craft brewing going mainstream these days? With the success of Brewmasters hitting the airwaves, and the easy going personality of Sam Caligone as the poster boy for craft beer, I can't see it not growing and becoming more popular in the coming years. Trust me, there's nothing I want to see more then my father, who is an advent light beer drinker, pick up a six pack, of say, Dogfish 60 minute IPA and enjoy every sip of it. I wouldn't say that I want to see the "Big Three" (Bud Light,Coors Light,Miller Light) be destroyed, because I still enjoy a Coors Light every now and then, but what I would like to see is more and more beer drinkers try a craft beer and ask themselves why it took so long to try something different. Hopefully we in the craft beer community can convert beer drinkers to expand there palates and try something new, one beer at a time.

So Dogfish....that was the real meaning of this post.  I think that I've tried more of their beers then any other brewery, I think it's around 30 at this point. They were one of the first breweries to get me excited about craft beer, so they hold a special place in my heart. So I'm always excited to try something new, or new to me, from them. Saison de Buff is one such beer. 

After the pour into my glass I noticed how light the color was.  A little bit  of  yellow and gold, but with a hazy, cloudy center. The head was a little thicker then most, which got me excited, and I quickly went in to expect the aroma. Spicy with a good amount of citrus in there. The flavor was spicy and citrusy as well, but with a lemon zest and a  good malt backing. The beer wasn't heavy in the slightest. Very easy to drink and enjoy to the very end. My only regret was that  I didn't buy more of this. 

Grade A

Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale

Brewer : Ballast Point Brewing Co. (California)
Style : Amber Ale
ABV : 5%

So Ballast Point has made it's way to South Florida, thank the beer gods, and of course I like some buffoon wait till I'm  in a different state to pick one up. Perhaps somewhere in the depths of my subconscious I think that some beer will taste better in a different setting other then Florida. Who knows, I sure as hell don't. 

I don't typically reach for amber ales all that often, but I couldn't pass on this one, simply because of  the fish on the front. It made me reminisce of a time when I was just a wee lad, way before a beer had touched my lips. My father's big event for some father-son bonding time would always be to take my brother and I to Lake Okeechobee to go fishing. I wasn't opposed to fishing,  but the 2 hour drive and the waking up at 4am sort of left a bad taste in my mouth. However this beer didn't. 


It had a nice amber color with red tints. The foam really seemed to  collect fast on this one, getting almost to the tippy top of my glass, and I had only poured half a glass for myself. The aroma was full hops and malts, while the flavor had a slight tart flare to it. The body wasn't too hard to  handle, as I could see myself drinking multiple bottles of this. I'll have to remember to grab a few to drink next time I go fishing.


Grade B

 

Sweetwater Festive Ale

Brewer : Sweetwater Brewing Co. (Georgia)
Style : Spice/Herb
ABV : 8.6%

So it's a little colder here in Florida then in other parts of the country, which I always find a little odd. No matter how cold it gets you'll always find some fool who's down here on vacation and needs to jump into the ocean. I'm all for it. It gives me something to chuckle about while I stroll down A1A. After the dip into that cold dip into the ocean you'll need to warm up with something. How about a winter warmer? Warms you right to the core and then some. 

Sweetwater Festive Ale is a good example of what a winter warmer should shoot for, even though in my biased ways I'm reluctant to say that Cigar City holds the title of my favorite winter warmer, but that's a different discussion all together. 
Sweetwater has made quite a good beer with this one. Dark in color, black with very little transparency, as you can see in the photo. Sort of low carbonation with virtually no foam, but the flavors were still very abundant. Spicy with a kick of ginger. Sort of like walking into a ginger bread house, literally. A lot of the same spicy flavors are very prevalent on the palate, but didn't bore me after the first few sips. All the  flavors seemed pretty well balanced. 

It's a great Christmas beer to share with friends and family, but wait till after dinner. More of a dessert drink.

Ginger, if you read this, pick  up a bottle of this in Atlanta. 

Grade B

 

PIsgah Vortex 1

Brewer : Pisgah Brewing Co. (North Carolina)
Style : DIPA
ABV : 10.8%

Sometimes after I pass on a beer, in a store or at a bar, I feel like I didn't do my homework on that beer prior to the encounter. I guess that  comes from not reading up on that many threads on beer websites or magazines. That being said let's get right down to brass tax here (as good old Hunter S. Thompson would say)

I was in North Carolina recently and I had countless Pisgah beers at my disposal. I was lucky enough to try some(Vortex 1,Vortex 2,Valdez), but I felt pretty dumb when I got back to FL and realized that Pisgah  beers are in pretty high demand, as BeerAdvocate states on their website. I suppose it was just me being a coward and not wanting to risk any bottles getting destroyed in my suitcase on the flight home. I suppose better safe then sorry, but I still would have loved to bring some home to either share or trade. Maybe my friend Alan up on Asheville can send me some? I mean what are friends for right? Anyway, on to the review.

This was the 2nd beer I tried while I was in Asheville. It had a dark copper pour  with a good sized head to it, which had pretty good retention to it. What did it smell like? Surprise surprise hops of course,  but it also had a good amount of citrus in there as well. The flavor wasn't dominated but any one ingredient. Hops and citrus flavors were prevalent first then followed by the  malts. Everything seemed well balanced and I can see why this beer would be highly sought after by beer lovers. 

Grade A

 

Unibroue Quelque Chose

Brewer : Unibroue (Canada)
Style : Fruit Beer
ABV : 8%

"Don't fruit the beer" Remember those Miller Light commercials where all types of guys were sitting around a table discussing "Man Laws". One happened to be the fact that a "real" man should never put a lime or lemon in his beer, such as when drinking a Corona. But what if the fruit is already in the beer? What then?
Does it make you less of a man if you like a beer with fruit flavors? Personally, as a big Pumpkin beer fan, I don't really see any problem with it. It's when you start adding limes and lemons to a beer that makes my question whether or not your a man. Hopefully this doesn't spark a huge outrage amongst anyone who might read this and I receive a whack to the head by some thug wearing a mask who's hiding in the shadows just outside my apartment. Sometimes fruit can be good.
Case in point. On my most recent vacation my friend Alan said that he had picked up some beer for us to try. He's been trying to find out what type of beer his wife would like, since he generally goes for the really hoppy stuff and her palate isn't quite to that point yet. So he picked up a bottle of Unibroue Quelque Chose figuring that it would be a neutral beer that anyone could drink since of the fruit flavors. Well turns out that she didn't really enjoy it all that much, which was sort of a bummer, but I on the other hand enjoyed it very much. 
The fruit is definitely more prevalent then the hops or the malts on this one. The cherries really come through more then any other fruit, even though there are others such as apricots and raisins. It has a nice touch of tartness to it as well, that made me think of nice sour/wild ale. There wasn't much carbonation to it. Poured it right into my glass, no tilting, and nothing seemed to happen. But I can't judge a beer on it's carbonation alone. The color was a mix between a muddy brown and dark purple. I  suppose that had a lot to do with the cherries being added to the mix. 
All said and done I enjoyed it and thought that it was an interesting beer. I might actually recommend it to anyone who is looking to branch over into the craft beer world. Something you and your girlfriend or wife can sip on comfortably. 

Grade B

 

Mikkeller Santa's Little Helper 2010 / RIP John Lennon and Dimebag Darrell

 Before I begin I want to give a quick shot out to the memory of John Lennon and Dimebag Darrell who were tragically killed on this day the 8th of December. Both were very talented musicians and I hold a special place in my heart for Dimebag who was one of the main reasons I picked up the guitar in the first place.


Brewer : Mikkeller (Denmark)
Style : Belgian Strong Ale
ABV : 10.9%

I have to give a big shot out to the "Sexiest man in craft beer" Ed Roberts for keeping me in the loop on what Mikkeller beers are currently in stock at Total Wine. When he informed me  that this one hit the shelves I dropped everything I was doing and ran over to pick  up a bottle. 
I'm done with pumpkin beers, for now anyway, so let the  Christmas beerdom begin. 

I had the pleasure of sharing this bottle with a good friend of mine from New York who was down for Thanksgiving. It had a very dark pour with a bubbly foam head that was bigger then average. It had a lot of spice going on in the aroma, almost like taking whiff of a gingerbread house. Good amount of cinnamon and nutmeg really came through in the flavor as well. The body was a little bit on the heavy side, but still very drinkable. 

I normally take it as a good sign when my friends ask me "can you buy this down here?" after the first couple sips. Hopefully I can score some older bottles of this to see how it ages. 

Grade A

Olde Rabbit's Foot

Brewer : Foothills,Duck Rabbit,Olde Hickory Collaboration (North Carolina)
Style : Russian Imperial Stout
ABV : 10.13%


I knew that going to Asheville,NC was going to be a great trip. Great beer people and great stores, but did I expect to land any "whales"? Probably not, but I was super excited when I came across Olde Rabbit's Foot. Long Story short I walked into a local wine/beer store called Appalachian Vintner, which came highly recommend by my fellow beer friend Alan, and I started talking to one of the employees, who's name I forget, but he was really friendly and knew a lot about beer. I talked to him about stouts and he asked if I had tried Sexual Chocolate. I told him that I had a bottle waiting in my cellar to try, so he suggested I try a special stout that he had in the back that wasn't even in the system.  I figure it was just from his personal collection. Well he pulled out this baby and quickly informed me that it was a Russian Imperial stout blend from 3 local brewers (Foothills,Duck Rabbit,Olde Hickory). I was sold instantly. 

It was a great sipping beer to  say the least. Weather was cold and this one warmed me to the soul. It had a lot of coffee bean in the aroma, as well as bourbon and oaky characters. It was a thick old boy, almost syrup like, with  a jet black finish. A thin brownish head arose and endured for quite some time. I expected there to be somewhat low carbonation, such like a Zukhov, but it had a good amount of carbonation, which I was pleasantly surprised by. 

I don't think that I had a better stout while I was in Asheville, a lot of good sours, but not a better stout. I feel really lucky to have tried it.

Grade A

 

Asheville Trip in retrospect

I know that I've really been slacking on updating the blog, but I've just been really busy lately with traveling a bunch, and it seems as there's no end in sight, for the next few weeks that is.
I recently returned from Asheville,NC, which was simply amazing. I've been to a lot of towns and cities in my time, but Asheville seems to be more geared towards beer then any other town I've visited. That might be a little bit a stretch but the town and whole atmosphere in general is just great. I reminded me a lot of Colorado, but with smaller mountains. Traveling anywhere requires 4 wheel drive and a jacket. It got quite cold when I was there, it even snowed a bit that last day I was there, which for a Floridian is always a treat to see. 
I got to try A LOT OF BEER and met some really cool beer people along the way. In the 3 days I was there I got to try about 40 different beers. I paced myself and consumed a lot of water along the way so I was coherent the whole time and never really caught a buzz at any point. 

I'll be back again tomorrow with a fresh review of some beer I tried up in Asheville, but before I go I'll leave you with the list of beers I got to try and some pictures.

ASHEVILLE BREWING CO.
1.Stuntman Ale
2.Ninja Porter
3.Christmas Jam
4.Asheville Amber
5.Shiva IPA

6.Great Gatsby Abbey
7.Highland Cold Mountain
8.Foothills Torch Pils

LEXINGTON BREWING CO.
9.Lab White Ale
10.Hefenweizen
11.IPA
12.Oktoberfest
13.Dunkel
14.Chocolate Stout

15.SKA Nut Brown Ale
16.Lips of Faith Kriek
17.Lips of Faith Eric's Ale
18. French Broad 13 rebels
19.Lips of Faith Biere De Mars
20.Pisgah Valdez
21.Pisgah Vortex 2
22.Unibroue Quelque Chose
23.Pisgah Vortex 1
24.Sweetwater Festive Ale 2010
25.Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale
26.Mikkeller Warrior IPA
27.Mikkeller East Kent IPA
28.Mikkeller Czech Pils
29.Founders Porter
30.Dogfish Saison De Buff
31.Thirsty Dog Siberian Night
32.Olde Rabbit's Foot
33.Founders Backwoods Bastard
34.Lips of Faith La Folie
35.Lump of Coal
36.Founders Centennial IPA
37.Mikkeller Ris a la M'ale
38.Heavy Seas Smoke on the Water
39.Emelisse Espresso
40.Duck Rabbit Milk Stout
41. Brewdog 5am Saint

Taps at 12 Bones BBQ

 Most of my haul

 Flight at Asheville Brewing Co.

 My view from outside our house

 Frisbee Golf was intense

 Snow on the day we left

 

Devious Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Brewer : Bethlehem Brew Works (Penn.)
Style : Pumpkin Ale
ABV : 9%

With Thanksgiving being last week I though it be only right to break open my last bottle of Pumpkin ale of the year to help wash down some dessert. I had heard about this pumpkin beer from a fellow beer lover CrazyCatLady who stated that it was a must try for a pumpkin beer lover such as myself. 
I had recently tried the regular version of this beer and was planning on comparing notes side by side but for some reason or another that didn't happen, but I my mind is pretty sharp and I could easily tell the difference between the two.
This version, the imperial, had a good amount of spice and nutmeg in the aroma, but not enough to blow me away. The color was darker then the normal version and there seemed to be much more foam when poured into my Dogfish snifter. The flavor had a good amount of pumpkin and spice, but yet again, nothing that really blew me away. Everything else, the carbonation and head retention, seemed fairly good, but then again I don't pay that much attention to the carbonation and head retention. 
All in and all the pumpkin beers for this year were 50/50. Some were outstanding and others were not. My top 2 pumpkin beers this year would have to be:
1.TREAT by Midnight Sun
2.Southern Tier Pumking 

This one was a good attempt, better then most, but still nothing super special, but I'm glad that I was able to try it.

Grade B

 

Cascade Kriek Ale

Brewer : Cascade Brewing Co. (Oregon)
Style : Sour/Wild Ale
ABV : 6.6%

First off I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and got their fill on turkey and such. I for one know I did, probably a little too much. I was fortunate enough to celebrate Thanksgiving twice. Once down here in Lighthouse Point with my parents and again up in Port Orange with my girlfriends family. I love going up to Port Orange to escape the madness of South Florida, plus they get a lot of different beers that we don't get. I was lucky enough to snag a bottle of Cigar City Seabass while I was up there, which I will probably trade away, but who knows, I might get greedy and just keep it for myself. 

While in Port Orange I decided to check out more of the local beer scenes that are within close proximity of where I was staying. The Abbey in Deland has been a place I've heard a lot about so I decided to check it out, and the entire family, all 8 of us, decided to make the 30 minute drive together. I'll save the Abbey experience for another blog, but I  will go into the gem of a beer I got to try while I was there.

I walked in the Abbey and immediately saw the bottle of Cascade Kriek calling my name. I've been big into sour beers lately so I knew I couldn't pass this up. The bottle was a little pricey, but how often do I get to taste a great sour beer in Deland? 
Simply put this beer was just outstanding. Super intense sour flavors. It was almost like biting into a Jolly Rancher. The fruity, tart flavors just made the cheeks and lips pucker with joy. I took the liberty of pouring everyone a small sample to see their reactions. The reaction was probably 50/50, which is just about what I expected. They aren't beer people, but I love spreading the love around. 
I will definitely be getting this one again.

Grade A++

 

Trout River Knight Slayer

Brewer : Trout River Brewing (Vermont)
Style : Imperial Stout
ABV : 9.5%

Big imperial stouts are probably one of my biggest achillies heel when it  comes  to beer. One of my first imperial stout moments would have to be my first Dogfish World Wide Stout. Though I'd never had a beer with such a high ABV before that I remember getting a dose of chocolate flavor. From then on I guess I was just plane hooked on stouts in general.
This one was an extra in a trade, and a very generous one at that. I was told that up until a few weeks ago this stout was only available on draft at the brewery and a few select high end beer joints in Vermont. I had the pleasure of sharing this one with Mike from www.mikelovesbeer.com and I'm glad I did because he shared some insight on the flavor that I may not have caught. 

The pour was completely pitch black, with an almost syrup texture to it. There's a good amount of coffee bean in the aroma, which I always love, swiftly followed by dark chocolate, my favorite combo in stouts. The flavor has a good amount of dark malts, but with a milky/lactose taste that Mike pointed out. If he hadn't of mentioned it I probably wouldn't have noticed it. I'm still learning a lot about detecting flavors on the palate. 

It was a great beer to say the least. A good after dinner sipping outside with a big fat cigar type of stout. 

Grade A

Brew Works Pumpkin Ale

Brewer : Brew Works (Pennsylvania)
Style : Pumpkin Ale
ABV : 5%

The pumpkin beer season is not over yet, for me at least. Not till the last piece of turkey has been consumed and the last piece of pumpkin pie feasted upon will I officially change my view towards Christmas beers. That might be a bit extreme actually. I've already got my eyes on a Christmas beer I missed out on last year, or just didn't get around to trying. You might know it as the St. Bernardus Christmas Ale. I've heard lots of good things and I've located a few bottles in some of the local stores, so it's only a matter of time. 

This bottle from Brew Works, Pumpkin Ale, was actually a side thought because I was initially after the Imperial Pumpkin Ale from Brew Works, but the trader suggested I try the normal Pumpkin Ale as well, and I couldn't refuse. With that being said, I hope the Imperial Pumpkin holds a lot more of the pumpkin flavor than the regular pumpkin ale. 
The color holds true to most pumpkin ales I've tried this year, darkish orange with a very thin head. Little to no foam collects in the glass. The aroma was on the spicier side but missed a lot of the pumpkin/nutmeg. With not a whole lot of pumpkin in the aroma I didn't expect there to be much pumpkin in the flavor and I turned out to be right. The flavor was malty and spicy with a little bit of nutmeg in there, but sadly, only a little  bit  of pumpkin. Needless to say I was less then impressed with this one.
My last few attempts at pumpkin beers as come up short, but hopefully Brew Works can redeem themselves when I crack open the Imperial Pumpkin Ale in a few days. 

Grade C

Ithaca Flower Power IPA

Brewer : Ithaca Brewing Co. (New York)
Style : IPA
ABV : 7.5%

So Saturday is upon us and what better way to start the day then with a nice IPA before all the college football begins. That actually makes me think of a question : If your watching football all day, college or pro, what style of beer could you easily drink throughout the day and not get bored of it?
I love imperial stouts, but they do tend to fill me up much quicker then any other style. Pumpkin beers are another favorite of mine, and I know that many of my fellow beer friends despise them, but those too can get boring after a while. I'd have narrow my selection down to two styles.
1.IPA
2.Sour/Wild

I don't have any sour's on hand for today, but I do have a pretty good IPA.
This one was shared with Mike last weekend. It seems as though a majority of the IPA's I've been having lately are coming my way through extra's in trades and if there's one thing better then buying a good beer it's getting a good beer for free. 

I'll keep this review brief and to the point. This IPA had many good qualities you would typically find in a good beer. A good goldish brown color, not too dark but still nice to look at, with a bubbly head. Hoppy aroma's but with a strong malt backing. Good mouth feel and good balance of flavors. And not to forget easily to drink. The ABV is 7.5% so you might want to take it a little bit easy. Just drink some water in between and you should be fine. 

Cheers and enjoy the  football today

Grade B

Mikkeller/Brewdog I Hardcore You

Brewer : Mikkeller (Denmark)/ Brewdog (Scotland)
Style :  Double IPA
ABV : 9.5%

So it's Friday, which always brings a smile to my face, but tomorrow I have to work (bring in the soft violin music), so I decided I review a beer from a brewer that has yet to let me down.......
Who might you ask? Mikkeller of course. This one is actually a collaboration with Brewdog brewery out of Scotland who make some really great beer as well. 
I had my good friend Mike from MikeLovesBeer over this Saturday to try out some beer and I decided it was a good time to break this one out. I've slowly been trying to convert others over towards Mikkeller. Well not covert, but more or less show them the light. Everyone has a brewery or brewer their particular to and Mikkeller just happens to be mine. 

 The color on this baby just seemed perfect and very inviting. Dark brown tints with a fluffy head that quickly disappeared. A large amount of hops prevail in the aroma swiftly followed by citrus, such as grapefruit. The flavor is somewhat over consumed by the hop presence but you get a good amount of the malt backing with a sweet, but bitter finish. Well balanced and easily drinkable. Anyone who likes DIPA's would easily drink this beer and be completely satisfied. Maybe that's a bit of a pretentious statement, but it's a damn good DIPA in my opinion. 

Grade A

 

Allagash Confluence Ale

Brewer : Allagash Brewing Co. (Maine)
Style : Belgian Ale
ABV : 7.4%

Allagash has been good to me in so many ways. I remember 2 years ago when I visited Maine with my girlfriend and her family. The streets were carved from brick and the port constantly gives off the ocean smell, plus the cooler weather. We went in the summer, but it was still nice and chilly. But the best part was getting off the airplane and grabbing a lobster roll at a restaurant in downtown Portland. I didn't know anything about Allagash at the time, but I checked out the draft list and said "I'll have an Allagash." Could have been one of the best decisions I've made. Lobster roll and an Allagash beer, life couldn't get any better at that moment. 

Since that time there have been highs and lows for Allagash in the South Florida area. I've got to try a good portion of what they offer down here, that would be the highs. The lows would be the fact that Allagash is being pulled from the South Florida beer market, as many of you may or may not know. So getting hold of hard to come by Allagash beers has become somewhat of a quest for me. 

This one, Allagash Confluence, sort of had me a little bit confused. I get a majority of my beer info from two sites. RateBeer and BeerAdvocate . One site had it listed as a Belgian Ale and the other had it listed as a Wild Ale. I didn't know what to make of this conundrum of sorts so I let the beer do the talking.

The color was pretty light, but with light goldish tints. It had a very thin, bubbly head but quickly said bye bye after a short period of time. There were very faint sour aromas going. Possibly a little bit of lemon zest, but mostly a lot of belgian yeast prevailed in the aroma. The flavor was just like the aroma, belgian yeast, but with a little bit of tartness to it. 

What style do I consider it to be. Well it has some sour qualities but not enough to bare the name Wild Ale. I'd go more with Belgian Ale myself. The yeast really came through a lot more then the sour tartness. A good enjoyable, sipping beer. 

Grade B

 

The Dogfather

Brewer : Laughing Dog Brewery (Idaho)
Style : Imperial Stout
ABV : 10.85%

This was another one I shared with friends on Friday night. Sometimes I stroll through Total Wine Ft. Lauderdale not really looking for anything in particular and I find something on my want list. This was one of those occasions. I knew that The Dogfather was from Laughing Dog, which we (South Florida beer scene) just picked up, but I didn't know that we were gonna get any of this as soon as we did. I was planning on making a trade for this in the future, but screw all that mess now. Saving time and money, my two favorite things. With that being said let me describe this delicious brew........


750ml bottles are great, but I always need a wing man to help me finish it. Lucky for me I had 3 Friday night. 4 people total is probably the limit for a bomber. Everyone gets a fair share, probably less then 12oz, that's for sure, but a fair share none the less.
The pour is pitch black with a light brown bubbly head. The aroma has dark chocolate malt notes with subtle hints of coffee bean. The taste is a little sweet with a good amount of malt backing, with a medium body to it. It was a good drink, and everyone seemed to be pleased with it, but I suppose after seeing The Ferm and Crazy Cat Lady on DosBeerigos rate this one and really like it I guess I was expecting a little bit more. It's still a great beer, don't get me wrong, but it was lacking a little...I don't what. 


Grade A

What happened to Monday!?

I apologize for not posting anything Monday. I was tied up with school and work and other things of that nature, but hopefully that won't  happen again.
Well Friday rolled around last week and I was super  pumped to  crack open the cellar to pull out some gems, or what I hoped to be gems, since 90% of the beer in the cellar are  beers I haven't tried yet. Believe it or not much happens on a Friday night these days. By the time I'm done with work I just want to re charge my  batteries on the couch with  some beers. So last Friday  being one of those types of days I had my fellow beer drinkers come over, that being my brother and Pat, since that are in close proximity and don't do too much on Friday either. 
We opened up a few bottles that night, most of them I'll get to in the next few days, but this one I was pretty excited about. 


Brewer : Dogfish Head (Delaware)
Style  : Belgian White
ABV : 5%


I've come to admire Dogfish and Sam Calagione for his out of the box thinking towards beer and the ingredients use, but I didn’t really know what to expect from this one, so I went in with an open mind. It had a good amount of spicy, dried fruit in the aroma, which I  was pleasantly surprised by since the color was very light and the body was just as light. If I  had done my research I would have known that Belgian White beers are typically lighter in color, but then again I enjoy being surprised every now and again. The carbonation was pretty strong, which is one of those things I look for in a beer, unless it's a big stout, like  say Marshal Zukhov. 
All in all everyone seemed to enjoy it, which is probably what I liked most about it. I hate, well not always, pulling  out a beer that only I find enjoyable. I try to spread the love around. 

Grade A

Captain Lawrence Captain's Reserve DIPA

Brewer : Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. (New York)
Style : Double IPA
ABV : 8%

Well Friday is finally here, thank God, and that means it's time to crack  open some more brews to rate, but before that can happen let's talk about a good DIPA from Captain Lawrence. 
I got this a few weeks ago as an extra in a trade. Now I don't know any about Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. besides the Smoke from the  Oak porters they make, which I hear are really tasty. 
This was a really good DIPA but something really odd struck me as I poured it into my glass. The color was really light. Similar to any typical lighter beer, well maybe not that light, but pretty frickin' light. I went to take a whiff thinking that it might not hold too much quality but I was pretty wrong. 
The aroma was full of hops and malt backing. The foam was pretty thick and held it's own for quite a while. As I took the first sip a lot of the flavors really seemed to spring out from everywhere. It had a little bit of a woody character along with floral hops. The malts gave it a sweet kick to it, but nothing too overpowering. 
Overall it was a very easy sipping, drinkable beer, but I've probably had better. 

Grade B

 

Allagash Hugh Malone

While I'm sitting here waiting for a beer package to arrive, via Fedex, I'll write about the a good Allagash beer I had over the weekend. I'm truly sadden by the news of Allagash being pulled from  the shelves in the South Florida region. They're great beers, but for some reason they just don't seem to fly off the shelves here, as they might in other parts of the state, or country for that matter. While at the Cigar City night at Coffee District in Delray I talked briefly with Adam Fine of Fresh Beer and asked him this question "What's the deal with Allagash being pulled from the South Florida shelves?" And he responded with this question "How often have you gone into a bar and seen Allagash on tap?" I reflected on that for a moment and responded with "I guess I haven't really seen it on tap at all down here." So I suppose of majority of the sales from Allagash are  done with keg sales and bars and such. I mean you can go out to World of Beer and order a bottle of one up no problem,  but I doubt they have any Allagash beers on tap. I can see Adam's point. But lucky enough for me I was able to snag a bottle of Hugh Malone while in Orlando a few months back. It was a little pricey,  but  since Allagash will be harder and harder to come by down south, I figured with was well worth it. 

Brewer : Allagash Brewing (Maine)
Style : Belgian Strong Ale
ABV : 8.5%

Has a darkish pour with a thick, fluffy head. The carbonation is pretty good as is the head retention. The aroma has a good amount of hop presence and the malts aren't shy either. Both the hops and the malts are prevalent in the flavor, which is more on the sweet side, but nothing too too sweet. It was a good sipping beer. I can see this bottle doing really well paired with some seafood,  such as lobster. I mean if  your drinking a beer from Maine you gotta go with the lobster, am I right?


Grade B+

 

Otter Creek Black IPA + Cigar City needs our help!!!

Before I begin with today's review I have just  found out that Cigar City's tasting room in Tampa may be shut  down. This  would  mean no more special events, no  more special tastings, and no selling of  beer from the tasting room.  I, like  many beer drinkers out there, am completely blown away and shocked by this. This post from the Cigar City website goes into greater detail then I can : 

Last Thursday we went to get our temporary wet-zoning made permanent and to extend our hours of operation. Since we have operated for two years without incident this should have been a rubber stamp. But, due to politics, a willful lack of understanding and what I personally believe is just a downright embracing of unfair practices, we got a 3-3 vote (you need 4 yes votes) and had to reschedule.

Our next trip in front of the Tampa City Council will be December 2nd. My birthday. We need 4 votes at this meeting and a following one or we lose our wet-zoning on the 16th of December. This means no more Tasting Room, no more special events, no more limited release parties, no beer for sell, at all, at the Tasting Room.

We have had no incidents at the Tasting Room. There has never been a police call for the brewery. We have never been cited for any violations. In short, we have shown, through our actions not our words, that we are a responsible business and neighbor. And oh by the way, while the economy has been stumbling along we have gone from 2 employees to 22. And some of those employees are in danger of losing their jobs because some members on the city council lack leadership and critical reasoning skills.

I don't know if we can change any minds. Some bias runs too deep. But I am humbly asking of everyone that supports craft beer in the Bay Area to help us. If you ever wondered why Florida is often considered a beer wasteland, dealing with provincial politicians and unfair laws is one of the reasons.  And we have run headlong into that fact many times. This is just another iteration of the climate breweries have to operate in here.

This is what you can do to try to help. Contact ALL of the members of City Council. If you live in the city and vote, tell them so. If you live outside the city or the state, tell them Cigar City Brewing is one of the reasons you come into the city to spend money. In short, let the council know that Tampa having a craft beer scene is important to you. Handwritten letters (addresses are int he links) are always more personal, but if you simply do not have time there is an online contact for each member. And there is a phone # for each member as well. Feel free to call and let the members know that CCB and craft beer are important to you.

These are the three members of Council who voted against us.

Gwen Miller
Thomas Scott
Curtis Stokes

These are those Council members who voted for us, let them know that you appreciate that they looked at evidence and fact and were not swayed by unsubstantiated claims.

Mary Mulhern
Yvonne Yoli Capin
Joseph Caetano

Finally, the member who was absent. Let Charlie Miranda know you support CCB and craft beer and are counting on his yes vote on December 2nd.

Charlie Miranda


I want to thank everyone for their support. When I look back at the last two years and see the growth we have had it both amazes and humbles me. And I know that any success we have had is due to our loyal supporters who buy our beer and spread the word to others. We appreciate and value that support and regret that we must lean on you again, but we truly do need your help again desperately.

Cheers,
The CCB Staff and Joey Redner


If you care at all about Cigar City beer you help by writing to those council members and let them know how  you feel about this situation. 


Brewer : Otter Creek (Vermont)
Style : Black IPA
ABV : ?

I never really heard about, or tasted, any black IPA's until a month or so ago, but since that time I've had the chance to taste a few and I can't seem to get enough. They seem hold a lot of qualities that I love in beer. Creaminess, hoppiness, great aromas, and not to mention taste. 
This one was an extra from SFLpunk, who I've traded with a few times, and always comes through with some great local stuff. This one was a great way to start off my Friday night after a long day at work. From the first pour I got a good amount of roasted malts in the aroma, plus creamy coffee and hops. The body wasn't super heavy, but it wasn't wimpy either. The flavors were a combination of roasted coffee bean and bitter hops, with a touch of malty flavor in there as well. Since this was a 12oz bottle I entertained the idea of keeping it all to myself, but my brother walked into the room and  I had to share the wealth. Overall it was a great tasting beer. 

Grade A

 

Rock Art Imperial Pumpkin Spruce Stout

Brewer : Rock Art Brewery (Vermont)
Style : Imperial Stout
ABV : 8%

Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins. I can't seem to get  enough of them, especially in my beer. I was lucky enough to land a bottle  of this in a trade I made last week with SFLpunk. Most pumpkin beers that  I've tried this year have been somewhat hit or miss. My high has got  to be Midnight Sun TREAT, while unfortunately, this would have to be my low. 
This was another bottle that I shared with my brother and buddy Pat. After cracking the top on the bottle I didn't really catch any aromas straight from the bottle like I normally would  with a strong pumpkin beer. So far not so good. I poured three glasses and inspected mine a little closer. It was definitely dark, that's for sure, but not as dark as a imperial stout should look in my opinion. I stuck my nose in trying to find a hint of pumpkin, but sadly came up with nothing. My brother could see what  I was thinking and said "So how disappointed are you with this one?" How disappointed am I? Well if this were a typical brown ale I would be just fine with it, but since it bares the title of Pumpkin and Imperial stout I definitely was expecting more. 
I finished off the glass and was sort of reluctant to pour another,  but being one not to waste/drain a bottle I finished it off.

Grade C

 

Dogfish Wrath of Pecant

Brewer : Dogfish Head (Delaware)
Style : Brown Ale
ABV : 6%

I have to give mad props to The Ferm over at www.dosbeerigos.com for giving me this hard to find beer for my birthday. I've heard threw the grape vine that this beer has a bacon flavor to it. Now I've had a few brown ales in my time, but I can't say that bacon has really been prevalent in any beer that I've tried. So needless to say I was a bit skeptical, but I was sorely wrong. 
I split the bottle with my brother and buddy Pat Friday night. It seemed to be the right time since the first cold front of the year had come through. The windows of the apartment were open, the AC was turned off, and the breeze was flowing throughout the entire house. I had a pretty good feeling that I was about to be blown away by this beer. 
The aroma had bacon quality to it, but more like maple bacon. As if you were having a stack of pancakes and you have your bacon right next to them. You don't just get the pancakes drenched with syrup, you get the bacon as well. That's sort of the feeling I got. The color wasn't all that brown, in the tradition sense, but I could see plenty of dark browning tints to it. The flavors were sweet and malty, but once the again the maple bacon took center stage here. My brother and Pat were just as blown away by the maple bacon flavor as I was, which is always a good that I had a real winner on my hands with this one.

Grade A

#700!!! Doris The Destroyer

Brewer : Hoppin Frog (Ohio)
Style : Imperial Stout
ABV : 10.5%

Happy Friday everyone out there in cyberspace beer world. Well today's review is somewhat of a milestone in my drinking career. Anyone who reads this and isn't a drinker would probably think "drinking career, ummm, yeah he's an alcoholic". This is not true folks. I limit my intake of beer very strictly, it's how I keep my slim girlish figure. I've got to look good for the ladies, or just lady (Kim) really. Anyways I really enjoyed this beer for a few reasons. Short story. I was sitting around on Saturday waiting for a beer package to arrive and I wanted to get over to my buddy Pat's house to  watch the FL vs. GA game, which we, FL, ending up winning in overtime by a field goal. It was half an hour before kick off and my package arrived in safe condition. I grabbed a few bottles and headed over to his place to relax and crack this bad boy open. I mentioned to Pat that this was my 700th beer and thanks for sharing in on this occasion. He simply responded "700th beer, dude your a fag". That's the Pat I've know forever. Comical and quite condescending, but that's just  how he is. He means well in the long run. So we cracked open the bottle and I poured a round for myself, Pat and his dad. We had a great little talk about Yuengling beer and the  owner Dick Yuengling. Apparently Pat's dad is good friends with Dick and he informed me that he has a house in Fort Lauderdale. Maybe a possible meet and greet in the future, who knows. The beer was great and the conversations were good as well. I'm glad I had those two there to help me finish this bomber because it would have been really tough on my own. 

A few notes on the beer.....

A definite destroyer of the palate. This one is pretty big, so be warned. The aroma is big and robust, with a large amount of oatmeal, dark chocolate, and coffee aromas. The pour is super thick, almost like motor oil. Soft, brown, bubbly head with a good retention. The mouth feel is pretty heavy, but hey, man up. A very enjoyable. beer. Crack it open and share, don't be a greedy bastard. 

Grade A

 

Real Ale Sisyphus

Brewer : Real Ale Brewing Co. (Texas)
Style : Barley Wine
ABV : 11.5%

Like I've mentioned in the past I love trying different beers that I've never heard of, or random beers that have been sent to me as extra's in a trade. This beer was an extra I got not too long ago, so far so good. The only thing that sort of let me down was that it was a barley wine. I'm warming up to barley wine's one bottle at a time, but they aren't my go to beer style of choice. I suppose they're a lot like DIPA's, which I love, but with a bigger malty flavor to it.  I don't know, I guess I just haven't had one yet that has blown me away. On with the review.

Definitely a big boy beer that's for sure. The aroma is hoppy swiftly followed by malts. The hops attack the palate first, somewhat heavy but nothing a pro can’t handle. Has faint citrus notes, but nothing too intense. A nice color of orange with brown tints. Good fluffy head which leaves a nice oily lacing. I actually enjoyed sipping this beer. The ABV is more on the bigger side, so it took me a little bit to finish this beer. 

Grade B

 

 

Mikkeller From/To

Brewer : Mikkeller (Denmark)
Style : Imperial/Strong Porter
ABV : 8%

So I didn't post anything yesterday, but I had good reason. My computer was getting worked on. The CD drive on it seems to not be reading anything and I had some new guitar software that I wanted to install. Long story short, I got the software installed but didn't get the CD drive fixed. Oh well, I'm not complaining.  So today I have a day off from  work, even though I don't really consider teaching guitar work,  I do enjoy it, and even more so, getting paid for it. But it gives me time to get back on with the blog and get some much needed/overdue guitar practice time in. 
So with today's blog I went with yet another Mikkeller beer. Now a majority of the beer that I've  had from them have been IPA's, so I was pretty excited to get a hold of From/To,  which happens to be a porter. Porters and stouts are probably two of my favorite styles to drink, I suppose it  has to do with the love of the  barley,  the thickness, and the sweet aroma. To each his own my friend. 

Has a dark brown pour with a thin head. Has somewhat of spicy aroma with a sweet sugar backing to it. It leaves a nice oily lacing around the rim as well. The flavor has a lot of dark chocolate in there, along with malts and possibly some coffee bean. Has a good amount of carbonation, but the head retention is somewhat minimal. It’s a great beer and incredibly smooth. Not the best porter I've had, but definitely one of the better ones. I was lucky enough to share this with some good friends at the Funky Buddha and everyone seemed to enjoy it. 


Grade B+

La Parcela

Brewer : Jolly Pumpkin (Michigan)
Style : Pumpkin Ale
ABV : 5.9%

Now that it's November 1st and Halloween is over, should we put away with the pumpkin beers and move on to Christmas beers? Hell no!!! As far as I'm concerned pumpkin beers don't stop until the day after Thanksgiving, when the Christmas tree lots open their doors and the trees are up for sale. That to me is when the Christmas season truly begins. 
With this past weekend being the Halloween weekend I figured it would only be in good fashion to have a pumpkin beer, since I know longer go door to door and trick or treat. I do that at the age of 27 and my neighbors will have me arrested. So I decided to crack this baby open, which got here just in for Halloween. 

Now I have been told that Jolly Pumpkin is primarily a sour/wild type beer producer, with the type of yeast they use in a majority of their batches, but I was hoping that the pumpkin flavor would prevail on this one. Well sadly it didn't. It was much like a sour beer, which I love, but I was hoping for much more of pumpkin/spice presence. The aroma and taste were dominated by the sour flavors and I was only able to get a little bit of pumpkin on the back end. But I can't say that I was too surprised though, as Mike from mikelovesbeer.com had told me a few days  prior that he had recently tried this one was not impressed with the pumpkin balance, and he doesn't even like pumpkin beers. So I guess I was a little disappointed but I was glad that I got the chance to try it. 

Grade C

 

Brewer : Yazoo Brewing Company (Tennessee)
Style : Altbier
ABV : 5.5%

From time to time I'll get a phone call from a friend who says "Dude, I'm at a bar in (random state) and I'm drinking this beer that you got to try." My first response is always "Rock on" and my second would be "Why don't you bring me back some?" They'll pause and then say "OK, how do I do that?" Then I'll walk them threw the process of packing it in their suitcase and blah blah blah. This beer came about from one of those stories. My friend Hayes was in Tennessee, doing God knows what, and decided that I need to try this beer. I'm always down to try something completely random, that's one of the most fun parts about being a beer geek. OK, on with the review


The appearance is light and transparent with a brownish color and thin off white foam head. The aroma is somewhat nutty and malty but nothing too big sticks out. Has good carbonation but not really any head retention. The flavors and aromas were pretty mild and nothing got me too excited about this one, but I'm not complaining. It was a random adventure that I'd take any day, or weekend, of the year. 


Grade C

Weyerbacher Fourteen

Brewer : Weyerbacher Brewing Co. (Pennsylvania)
Style : Barley Wine
ABV : 11.8%


I've know for a while now about what beers I like to reach for first. Usually my first instinct is to grab a Imperial Stout or Porter, or if I'm lucky enough, a good Pumpkin Ale. But I'm also slowly starting to find out what I'm not too partial towards. One would be Barley Wines, quickly followed by Scotch Ales. Now I'll drink just about anything, don't get me wrong, but the thing about Barley Wines is that they tend to be just a little too heavy for my palate. I enjoy a big beer just as much as the next beer geek,  but there's just something about  Barley Wines I can't seem to stomach. Who knows? Perhaps I just haven't had the right one yet, or the one that's blown me  away. With that  being said, here's today's review on the Weyerbacher Fourteen.


Picked up this 12oz bottle on my most recent trip to Orlando. Found it sitting right next to the Fifteen so I went for both. Poured into my Delirium snifter glass it has a brown color with reddish tints. The head was thin and quite bubbly, and it left a good amount of lacing around the rim. The aromas were quite fruity, very similar to a Belgian, but with a spicy kick to it. With the ABV being at 11.8% it felt a little heavy on the mouth/palate, but didn’t kill the flavors. Had an almost sticky taste to it, and even a little chewy. I wasn’t blown away, but it was still a decent find.

Grade B

 

Beer For Boobs

Greetings fellow beer readers. Before I begin today's review I'd like to take a brief moment and mention the fact that Pizza Fusion, off of Sunrise and Federal, will be hosting a charity event tomorrow night. The event is Beer For Boobs. Every dollar spent on draft beer will go to the Shaun Foley Foundation to help fight breast cancer. I hear that there will be some good beer on draft, such as Magic Hat #9, Left Hand Milk Stout,Dogfish 60 minute, and Shipyard Export Ale.
So if your in the area between 6 - 9pm stop in and have a pint of some good craft beer and help fight breast cancer. 

Now for today's review...........................

Brewer : Brasserie de la Senne / de Zenne Brouwerij
Style : Sour/Wild Ale
ABV : 8.5%


This one was brought in by my good friend Phil (The Ferm) from www.dosbeerigos.com
to a recent tasting. I was told that this was pretty rare and it was a sour. Since I'm down for both sours and rare beers I was pretty excited to try it. Like a lot of the sours that I had that day this one held a lot of good fruit qualities and tartness. The thing that I'm finding out the  most about sours are that even if the carbonation is high or low it still delivers a good punch of flavor. Whereas if you get a big Imperial stout, such as the double barrel aged Marshal Zukhov stout from Cigar City,  the carbonation is really low and the flavors might not jump out at you right away, I know it didn't for me. This beer warmed me up to  the pit of my stomach, literally. I sipped  it and felt a burning sensation to the pit of my stomach. Nothing super intense, but just enough to say "Wake Up you wimp!!".
Really enjoyed this beer, simply put. 


Grade A

Mikkeller 10

Brewer : Mikkeller (Denmark)
Style : IPA
ABV : 6.9%

So this Mikkeller obsession just wont seem to quite, and I'm sure  that you the reader must be getting bored of listening to me write on and on about how much I  love this brewery,  or  lack there of I should. He, Mikkel Borg Bjergs, is a gypsy brewer, which means he travels around to other full scale breweries and they allow  him to brew his beers there. So he has no real brewery of his own, but all his beer are amazing to say the least. That being said this beer that I'll be reviewing today sort of let me down a little. 
Mikkeller 10 is an IPA made with 10 different type of hops, which are:
warrior, simcoe, centennial, cascade, chinook, amarillo, nelson sauvin, nugget, tomahawk, east kent golding.
Now that would normally excite me, but the beer itself was a little hard to swallow. Poured into my glass there was an explosion of hoppy aromas. There seemed to be a lot of foam, but that could have been from me pouring a little like a jack ass. There also seemed to be a lot of lacing around the rim. The flavors however seemed to be all over the place. I had somewhat of a difficult time pinning the flavors down. It seemed like a big ball of hops with a little bit of citrus notes. 
I enjoyed the beer, as I do most Mikkeller beers, but this one just sort of confused me a little. 


Grade C+

Mondays....meh

Mondays totally blow, I know I know, but there is some good news. Monday night football, and of course there's Coffee District's Beer Meet Up, which I'm never a part of, sadly,  for two reasons: 
1. I don't get out of work on time for it
2. I don't drink beer on the week days (Actually no drinks Sunday-Thursday)

I have my own reasons, and everyone does, for hating Mondays. Mine is the fact that I have to go downtown to take a Biology Lab. Now the class itself isn't too bad, but I hate science and I'm terrible at it. Adderall would most certainly help. Maybe it's a bad case of ADD, or just the fact that  I can't grasp the concept of Prophase, Anaphase, molecules, and enzymes. Who knows?

Anyways, I do a majority of my beer tasting on Saturdays while watching football, but I didn't get to any real beer drinking this Saturday because Friday was a late night of Delray fun, and I didn't get too much sleep. I awoke just fine Saturday and even strolled around Total Wine and picked up a few bottles, but all I could muster was a bottle of La Roja.

So here's what I got:

Brewer : Jolly Pumpkin (Michigan)
Style : Sour/Wild Ale
ABV : 7.2%

I got this one in a recent local trade with Ed Roberts , who you may or may not know, is the sexiest man in craft beer. The rumors are true. Believe the hype ladies and gentlemen. 
I've acquired a new found love for sours recently so this was a treat. I was a little hesitant at first because when I bought Bam Noir by Jolly Pumpkin I hated it. But now, knowing what to expect, I dove in with great expectations. 
The flavor and taste are pretty intense with a good amount of fruity funk to it. The color is almost a dark red with a light off white foamy head. This is an amazing beer. I shared it with my buddy Pat who took a sip and turned to me with a smile on his face. "Sour ah?" was his response. He seemed to really enjoy it, as did I. The only thing that would have made it better was if the Florida Gators had been playing, but I guess that will have to be next week when they play Georgia. 

Grade A

Tales of a 27th Birthday

So in wake of last night's birthday celebration for myself and my brother today's entry will be less of a blog per say and more of a recap of last night's events, and how things got a little out of hand.

I got out of work at 6pm, which is a little early for a Friday but I wasn't complaining in the slightest, for I knew good things were awaiting me in Delray. I got back to my place and quickly went for the beer fridge to grab a Cottonwood Pumpkin beer. 

It was quite tasty but my palate has matured since I've taken my first sip of Dogfish Punkin many moons ago, so I wasn't blown away by this one. It had subtle hints of pumpkin and spice,  but nothing really blew me away.
So after waiting for about an hour for my girlfriend Kim to get ready we jumped on 95 and headed to Delray for our 8:30 meet up with my brother Andy and my sister Natalie. We were delayed in route however when we hit Sample and the two right lanes were blocked by god knows what. I quickly decided to avert the delay that lay in our path and get off 95. Long story short we got to Tryst with a little bit of time to spare. 
Dinner was lovely, we munched on finger foods pretty much, shrimp,fish tacos etc and had a few drinks. I got a glass of Dogfish Punkin and after polishing that off fairly quickly turned my attention towards the Humidor IPA from Cigar City. It's been well over a year since I've first tried this beer and it's still has good as I remembered. Lucky for me this time I had friends and family there to help finish the bottle. 

 I dipped  out of Tryst around 10pm to hurry down to Coffee District to  meet up with Phil (The Ferm) and Kelly (CervezaChica) for some post dinner drinks. Phil quickly pulled me aside and handed me a bottle of Dogfish Wrath of Pecant as a gift. Anyone who knows me well enough should know that a bottle a beer as a gift is a sure fire way of getting the job done right, so thanks Phil and Kelly for the gift, I can't wait to try it. 
So after establishing and setting up camp at Coffee District my party began to arrive. I decided to go right for the goods and pull out a bottle of Mikkeller Chipotle Porter.

This beer was less of a porter and more of BBQ in a bottle. The aroma was smoky and spicy, as was the taste. The pour was super dark with a thin brown bubbly head to it. Needless to say I was hooked on the thing, but quickly spread the love around and  poured some for everyone.
Next in line was The Greater Pumpkin by Heavy Seas.

 This one I've been looking forward to trying for quite some time. I've had a lot of pumpkin beers this year but never one that was aged in bourbon barrels. In one small word: Awesome. Hopefully more breweries will catch on to this bourbon barrel/pumpkin thing. 
The aroma was super sweet and pumpkiny. I got a little bit of bourbon in the aroma was well, but nothing too overpowering. Good amount of cinnamon and spice to keep intrigued throughout the entire glass. 
I many other great beers that night, 09 Double Bastard and Buried The Hatchet, but what I really loved the most, or the highlight of the night I should say, goes to Brian and Andy singing some sort of duet. I don't know the name of the song, and it's probably best that I don't, but it was one of the funnies things I've seen in a long while. 

 We capped off the night with a few drinks at Falcon House, actually I had already begun to drink water because my friends was on the verge of puking up dinner, which they did eventually. 
Needless to say it was a great night. One for the books. Good friends. Good Beer. Good Times.