Those that enjoy BEER, please stand UP!!

Backstage goes FULL FRONTAL

2012-02-14T08:57:00.006-05:00

Hey CT Beer fans,

If you are in the area... you DON'T want to miss this. Tucked up in the Northwest corner is a little gem known as Backstage: Eat, Drink, Live.

THIS THURSDAY, they are letting the VICTORY BREWING COMPANY takeover their front 12 taps!! Yes, 12 taps!! With offerings including:

-Victory Braumeister Pils
-Victory Festbier
-Victory Golden Monkey Triple Ale
-Victory Headwaters Pale Ale
-Victory Hop Devil IPA
-Victory Hop Wallop (oh, hell yeah.)
-Victory Lager
-Victory Moonglow Weizenbock
-Victory Prima
-Victory St. Victorious
-Victory Storm King Stout
-Victory Yakima Glory

Raffles, Hats, Shirts, Glasses, Pitchers... Giveaways galore!!

And don't forget to let them know that you want them to be a part of the CT Beer Trail!!

Follow THEM ALL on Twitter!

Backstage: Eat, Drink, Live (@BackstageEDL)
Victory Brewing Co: (@VictoryBeer)
CT Beer Trail: (@CTBeerTrail)

Dogfish's Fort, Not for the Meek

2012-01-23T09:30:00.012-05:00

Brewery: Dogfish Head (Milton, DE)
IBU: 49
ABV: 18%
Style: Fruit Beer

No, I haven't gone soft on you.

I know some of you that read this blog, probably just caught the "fruit beer" style and thought that perhaps Tone has lost it since the 12 Beers of Christmas countdown.

Listen, if you are going to judge before even tasting a beer, then check your ego at the door. Now, I will admit, I'm not the hugest fan of lambics or beers that a "tart" quality to them. But again, the more I write in the blog, and the more I talk to other craft beerheads, and the more I taste, err, "research", the more my taste buds are opening to new and unique styles. After all, Pumpkin Beers are in the "Fruit and Vegetable" beer category, and you know my stance on Pumpkin Ales.

Also, admittedly a fan of Dogfish Head, I had heard about this beer when my girlfriend Michelle mentioned that they had it on draft down at the Plan B Burger Bar in Milford. I also remember hearing about it before when we visited the brewery back in July, but never really looked into it. I knew it was a limited release, had something to do with raspberries and was pretty strong.

So this past Friday, we went out to one of our favorite places, Mikro... and luckily they still had a few taps left on from their Dogfish Tap Takeover on Monday. First I had the Dogfish Ta Henket (more on that later), then New England Brewing's Ghandi-Bot, and lastly ended with the focus of this post, Dogfish Fort. Served in a signature Dogfish glass, complete with laser-etched logo on the bottom. It had about an inch of white head that quickly dissipated, on top of an orange/golden color. The nose was FULL of raspberry sweetness. If you've ever had the 120 minute, imagine the love child of a raspberry lambic and a 120. Along with the fruits, you know that there's some booze, simply by the nose. Bring on the taste.

WOWZA... You know in Mike Tyson's Punch Out for Nintendo when Little Mac had a "star" and you got to punch your opponent with a really strong uppercut?? Yeah, that's what this is. Hello 18%. But I knew what I was getting into, and I'm not the least bit upset about it. It wasn't as sweet as I thought it was going to be. It had a complex mouthfeel full of malts and bready sweetness. Slightly syrupy. A sipper no doubt. If you have this on a cold winter night, you WILL be warm after a glass. After two glasses? Enter Sandman.

This beer is what I'd like to call a game-changer. After all, I found out later that it is considered the World's Strongest Fruit Beer. This little puppy clocks in at 18%. If you start your night with it, your taste buds will be somewhat shot. And chances are, you won't need too many more beers (if any) to be well on your way. It's heavy, its sweet, its rich... What a second... Desserts can be heavy, sweet, and rich... Do we have a pairing here?! While I did just have this beer on its own (because believe me, it can TOTALLY stand on its own), Head Brewmaster, Sam Caligione suggested pairing the Fort with a chocolatey dessert. Something that would match up well with fruit and maybe some dark chocolate.

I found it to be absolutely delicious. Full bodied, full flavor, boozy, mild tartness, malty... great end to the evening. Overall: A

If you can't find this on draft... snag a bottle even if you don't have any sort of event to drink it at. Given the high ABV, this will age very nicely I think. Perfect for after dinner. But, its rare - so if you see that bottle on the shelf, do NOT delay.

Earlier, I mentioned the Ta Henket from Dogfish. This beer is an absolute enigma to me. Long story, short, I bought a bottle for a New Years Eve party to share with a bunch of friends. As I poured out the beer for people, there was a definite "FUNK" that I'm not used to when it comes to beers, especially unique offerings like the Ta Henket. I don't know if the beer got skunked, but it had a tunafish smell to it. It poured a straw pale yellow color and had little to no head on it. Bottomline: The grossest beer I ever tasted/smelled. I dumped 3/4 of the bottle down the sink.

Now that being said...

I noticed that Mikro had it on draft. I was determined to give Sam and his vision of the Ta Henket another try. After a small sample, I was happily surprised with the outcome. Very light, dry... lots of champagne like carbonation... had the same color hue to it, but the taste was absolutely 180 degrees different from the last time I tried it. It was fantastic... everything that I hoped it would have been on New Years Eve.

So, if you see this on draft, I highly recommend starting your night with it. All of the light qualities make it a perfect match for a Fried Calamari, Cheese Plate, or Mussels appetizer. In the bottle... I'm not 100% sold on buying it this way. Maybe we just got a bad bottle on New Years, who knows. Sam Caligione does describe that he used wild yeasts to ferment the beer. Perhaps its just not conducive to bottling.

NBC Connecticut Visit CT's Leading Brewery: Thomas Hooker!

2012-01-09T12:43:00.003-05:00

View more videos at: http://nbcconnecticut.com.

Don't forget, 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month are Hooker's Open Houses!! 5p-8p, $10.

#DrinkLocal

The skinny on beer and resolutions

2012-01-03T09:00:00.006-05:00

I can’t watch TV recently without seeing four to five commercials, back-to-back about weight loss. Jennifer Hudson is singing about her new body, Janet Jackson is touting her new plan and Marie Osmond is trying to read cue cards through her injected lips and tucked face while her before and after photos flash on the screen. Ok, we get it - thank you media.

Well, its 2012 and everybody is setting new fitness goals and looking to shed the extra holiday cookies they indulged in.

A friend of mine said the other day, “I think I am going to quit beer while I try to get into shape and just drink wine and hard alcohol.”

This got me thinking … why is beer the bad guy? The calories in beer come from the alcohol (ABV), so what is the bottom line? Do you really save calories drinking light beer that tastes like water or suffering through vodka and soda waters all night?

I started doing some research and it’s tough to find consistent figures. Calorie counts on alcohol seem to be all over the map. There is also the old standby that all alcohol is bad when you are starting a new diet regimen … blah, blah, blah. We don’t want to give up our social life, we want to live and be healthy. Besides, studies show that moderate alcohol intake can lower cholesterol, decrease stress, aging and chronic illness. I am aware that exercise and a balanced diet produce similar benefits so do both, everything in moderation right?

I pulled all of these figures from various sites on the net so take into consideration brands, flavors, and your pour. On average here is the side by side comparison:

Shot of vodka: 70-100 calories
Shot of whiskey: 80-100 calories
Shot of tequila: 80-100 calories
Shot of Bacardi: 95-110 calories
Glass of red/white wine: 100-135 calories
Light beer: 70-110 calories
“Regular” beer: 120-160

“Regular” beer and wine are pretty close in calories, as are light beers and hard alcohol. That is if you are drinking hard alcohol alone, without soda or juice.

By comparison if I went out and chose a Sam Adams Boston lager (160 calories) instead of a Bud Light (110 calories) I am consuming 50 additional calories. Food wise that is equal to two slices of pineapple or half an apple, something that takes about 10 minutes of walking/physical activity to burn off.

My problem is that when I drink a beer that tastes like water, it usually goes down like water. When I am drinking a delicious beer with body and flavor, I take my time and enjoy it. In short, I drink fewer good tasting beers and still get more alcohol in my system, (because regular beers have a higher ABV) it's a win-win.

Treat it like a treat, because it is.

If you are someone who regularly drinks beers with a higher than normal ABV (7% or higher) those calories will add up quicker. My friend Jen and fellow craft beer lover found a great post on Simplybeer.com that breaks down the calories of beer based on the ABV. This is really easy to use and remember. Click here to check it out.

That aside, when I do reach for a light beer here are my top 5 picks:

GUINNESS 120 cals
I love Guinness. People are often shocked that this is a low calorie beer because it’s so creamy and rich. Hands down a great beer to sip and savor without feeling like you are on a diet. I would rather have this than any dessert.

SAM ADAMS LIGHT 124 cals
I am partial to Sammy lights because I live in Boston. It’s malty, caramel toasty flavor goes down smooth and easy but has enough gusto that is not made for guzzling.

AMSTEL LIGHT 95 cals
Its marketing is better than the beer, “The beer drinkers light beer,” but it’s one of the top imported beers in the U.S. and has a better flavor than most light beers out there.

CORONA LIGHT 99 cals
This is a beer that always finds its way into my cooler when I am heading to the beach. I can only drink it with a lime as the night goes on it tastes better.

COORS LIGHT 102 cals
Don’t judge! I know I am talking about Coors light on a craft beer blog. (My co-blogger is going to kill me) Call it nostalgia, but when I know it’s going to be a long night, I nod toward Coors. The Coors Brewing Company sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and some of the freshest waters are used in its brews. Also, who doesn’t want to know when their beer is SUPER COLD! 

In 2012 resolve to be happy and healthy, without giving up what you love – BEER!!
Cheers and Happy New Year!

The First Beer of Xmas Old Man Winter Gave to Me, a 50 degree day in December... ?

2011-12-23T09:00:00.008-05:00

Southern Tier
Old Man Winter Ale
Brewed with 3 varieties of hops, and 2 malts
Limited Seasonal – released in November
7.7% abv

Southern Tier is responsible for Pumking, one of my favorite launch pumpkin beers and the winner of the McGrath and Stinchon 2011 pumpkin beer taste off which also happened to take place on my birthday. (UNFOTUNATELY because it was my birthday … we moved on to heavier things and the beer bracket was taped to my sister’s fridge. ANNND there it remains … along with an overdue November beer blog post – sorry Tony!!)

I like Southern Tier. They put out bold, flavorful, in your face beers. I have never had a Southern Tier beer and thought 'ehh … so what?' I either love them or hate them. So when I saw Old Man Winter at the packie I thought, alright, let’s give it a go.

First let’s do some research, to the website:
With the onset of winter, the brewer’s mind turns to providing warmth. For our winter seasonal, we offer a rich and complex amalgam of hops and barley that will put the feeling back in your toes and lift your spirits above the snow. OMW throws a deep and inviting hue with a thickness that clings to the glass and the warmth of an open flame. Because of its high alcohol content, Old Man is a heady brew that encourages sipping and pondering its essential richness. Drink it fresh now, or cellar a few bottles to see how this old man becomes wiser with age.

Now to the beer.

The Pour:
Two fingers of fluffy foam with lots of big bubbles. A nice lace is sticking to the glass and it’s a clear amber color, pretty light for a winter beer.

The nose:
Very hoppy. It’s grassy, bready, cannabis like (hey they are cousins), I also get clove and smoke (… hmm, am I at Dave Matthews Band concert?)

Taste:
Follows suit with the smell. Very earthy, hoppy flavor. It’s a dry, medium bodied mouth feel. The smoky malts cover your tongue with a bite at the end. Dry mouth anyone …? Yes, that resin flavor is here. I also get some pine. I have to say, for a hop-head in training, this is very drinkable and biscuity. I usually don’t like a strong hop flavor but this isn’t overly aggressive. I bet on draught this would be so much better. I know, all beers are better on tap, but I feel like it would make a huge difference here.

Pairing:
Something salty. Right now I am craving a prosciutto Panini, something with salty meat and buttery focaccia bread. I am thinking hearty sandwich or a big bacon cheese burger (or is that just the DMB munchies talking? … just kidding)

Overall I would give this beer a B. Honestly it’s the first time that I haven’t LOVED or HATED a Southern Tier beer, so cheers to that. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Stay tuned for the cousin tag-team toast and review on Christmas.

2 Turtle Doves Flying Over Belgium...

2011-12-22T08:26:00.007-05:00

Brewery: Brouwerij Corsendonk
ABV: 8.5%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

They say that your tastes change every 7 years... Over the last year or so I've really tried to branch out and try things that I normally wouldn't try. Take saisons for example. I usually steer clear of the light, spicy, somewhat tart variety... or Sour Beers... or even Belgian styles. The more I try, the more I find that I'm actually ENJOYING some of these styles. Take the New England Brewery Co's 668 Neighbor of the Beast, a Belgian Strong Pale Ale. Normally... that's a style I want NOTHING to do with. But being local, and attempting to be open-minded I jump in with two feet. It's FANTASTIC. Light, crisp - but a high ABV to keep you from slugging it down. So when one of the brew managers at my local Packy suggested the Corsendonk Christmas Ale, I went with a re-newed confidence.

...and I came out with an unimpressed palette.

The Christmas Ale poured a dark mahogany color with a good fluffy light tan head. It settled a bit, but remained throughout most of the glass.

The nose was... interesting. There was a strong ginger scent, with fruity notes as well. My buddy and I felt like it smelt almost like a ginger ale. I'm picking up some orange zest, too. I didn't get anything malty, bready, OR spicy in the nose. (Am I drinking the same beer that these BeerAdvocate users are describing?)

Looking back... the nose was the BEST PART! And that's not saying much. Anyway... Taste-wise, I was just uninterested. Belgian yeasts were obviously present giving the beer a tart quality, with a little extra dark fruit sweetness. You know those weird Orange Chocolate things that come out every holiday season? They're supposed to be this delicacy but I never did like them. That's kinda what I'm picking up here. Semi-sweet chocolate with some orange notes. Lots of carbonation going on, too.

The finish is like a champagne... bubbly, dry... and leaves you palette, saying - that's it?

I can't even pair this up with any food really... It's nothing I'd want to start my night with with some light nosh... it's nothing that I'd like to have with my meal because of the orange and chocolate qualities... and it's nothing I'd like to end my meal with or have with dessert because it's just light and uninteresting.

As much as I've branched out over the past year, I guess I have to chalk this one up with the fact that MAYBE I'm just not a big fan of Belgians yet. The BeerAdvocate users gave this an all-around exceptional 92, while the Alstrom Bros gave it a "WORLD-CLASS" 98. Is today backwards day or something?

Overall: D

...so if it is true that your taste change every 7 years, I'll try this guy again when I'm 35.

Let's look at the silver lining here... sadly, my last post (before our #1) is the worse one I've had so far in this countdown. But the good news? It's kinda rare and chances are you won't be able to find it anyway. You aren't missing much. Bah Humbug.

The 3rd Beer of Xmas: Slumbrew's Porter Sq. Porter

2011-12-21T09:00:00.010-05:00

Slumbrew’s Porter Square Porter
6.5% ABV
31 IBU

Back-to-back posts of hyper New England beers.

Today I am giving a nod towards my NEW backyard brewer, Slumbrew.

I reside in Somerville, Massachusetts known for its dog-friendly, boutique, foodie, hipster atmosphere. Neighboring city-dwellers often scoff at Somerville, referring to it as “Slumerville,” I assume this is where they pulled the name. I say to those finger pointers – ‘Ha! I pay less for rent and it’s easier for me to find parking -- so get outta my square.’

Regional politics aside, Somerville is located just north of Boston and has great restaurants and beer bars, come visit! (Sorry for those who live outside of Boston, you probably won’t be able to get your hands on this Porter)

According to its website Slumbrew has been 15-years in the making. From extensive beer tasting, traveling, and trial and error, founders Caitlin Jewell and Jeff Leiter finally birthed Slumbrew this year, and are partnering with regional breweries (like Ipswich) to create and bottle their suds for wide spread commercial release. Their mission is to brew unique, ingredient-driven beers that challenge common notions of what a beer should taste like.

Well, I’m in.

I picked up two bombers from Jerry’s Liquors in Union Square and brought them to an early Christmas party for a tasting. (Locals this beer is also available on tap at the Foundry and Johnny D’s. Like them on facebook for more deets)

The pour:
It has a foamy, two-finger, light brown head with some staying power. It took about a minute to taper down. A thin line of lacing now remains and I think it’s here for good. No light is passing through this thing. It’s as black as midnight.

Nose:
At first I get wafts of coffee, chocolate and molasses … followed by the faint smell of metal and then finally dry oats.

Taste:
This first sip is bitter with a roasted, smoky malt flavor. Second sip, here comes the dark chocolate. It feels like I bite into baker’s chocolate, or something with a very high cocoa content … ah-ha! Then I read the label:

“Brewed with cocoa powder and conditioned with cacao nibs from Taza Chocolate…”

Taza Chocolate is stone ground organic chocolate ALSO made in Somerville. Now the taste makes perfect sense. Could I be drinking a fresher, more local product? Doubtful. Just put some marshmallow Fluff on the top and let’s celebrate. YES, Somerville also founded Fluff … Google that shizz.

The aftertaste is a strong, like espresso. This porter covers your whole tongue and is somewhere between medium and full bodied. It’s creamy and dry. Now that I am halfway through the bomber, my face is flushed with tavern tan and I feel warm and cozy, but not full. This is a good thing.

Foodage:
If I was doing an easy night in, I would pair this with a stinky blue cheese. My mom’s salty shepherd’s pie, with a good layer of sharp cheddar cheese on the top would also be pretty amazing.

Overall I liked the Porter Square Porter and I am excited to see what else Slumbrew puts out. I will be on the lookout – Grade B+

Slumbrew.com
tazachocolate.com
marshmellowfluff.com

4 Calling Beers (Birds)... starring Hooker and the Heartland.

2011-12-19T22:52:00.007-05:00

Brewery: Heartland Brewery
Style: Strong Ale
ABV: 8%

We're getting close the end of our little countdown... so I wanted to do something special for good ol' #4 on our list. And before I start anything, I have to point out that this next beer would not be possible without my sister, Christine... She found this little gem (thanks to my other sister, Beth) at the HEARTLAND BREWERY located at Union Square in NYC (among other NY sites). I have to admit, one of the reasons, Kate and I wanted to do this blog is to help educate people that might be nervous about trying a new beer or simply just want to learn more about craft beer in general. Honestly, since we've started this blog I feel like I've learned so much more. And yet, there's still a ton that can be taught. Next week, my buddy Joe and I are kegging up our FIRST homebrew - a Bourbon Barrel Aged Oatmeal Stout. An Oatmeal Stout recipe with French Oak Cubes soaked in Jim Beam's Devil's Cut Bourbon (thanks to knowledgable and beautiful @MichelleFunaro for the bourbon suggestion).

Shoot, where was I... oh yeah. So Kate and I wanted to educate people on what's out there. Well - this next beer is more for the NY folks that read Beer411. I'm not sure how accessible this is in CT, MA and beyond.

So Christine brought me home a bomber of the Special Edition, Old Red Nose Ale from the Heartland Brewery in NYC. The website had 5.5% ABV but the bottle said, 8%. Perhaps because it was a Special Edition. It poured a dark amber color, with about two fingers of tan head. The clarity was also very murky... Even noticed a little sediment towards the end of the pour. I suppose if we are grading on prettiness, this would be a bad thing... but I ain't skurrrd. I'm going in.

The smell is very inviting... Sweet malts, spices and a slight orange/ginger zest are all present. Given the ABV, the sweet smell is probably attributed to some of the booziness that'll come with the taste. After all it is a Strong Ale.

DE-LI-CIOUS. Wow. There's a party in my mouth. But its not the kind of party where someone drinks too much early in the night and is a jerk. Or where the uninvited kids show up only to cause problems. No, no... everyone is getting along here. The sweet and spicy notes continue on the taste with a solid malty backbone. You get more of the roastiness as well. The most noticeable attribute is the warmth that I'm getting from the alcohol. This was my first beer of the night and half way through, I had a nice warmth from all of the booze. I also have to point out how smooth this drank.

REALLLY only for the NY folks... but if you have any friends or family in the NY area or are travelling to NY for the holiday, there are SEVERAL Heartland Brewery locations: (http://www.heartlandbrewery.com/). Tis the season for the Old Red Nose Ale.

Overall: A-

Buuuut for those of you that have no such access to the NYC area... I have a little something for you too.

Brewery: Hooker Brewery
Style: Herbed/Spice Beer/Lager
ABV: 6%

I have a decent memory. But I usually have to write a lot of things down. And thanks to my smartphone, most things are easily remembered. CT's own Hooker Brewery is one of those beers that is good but sometimes not memorable. I really enjoy their Munich beer, Liberator, Octoberfest, and IPA... none of which I think to grab off the shelves first, but again, very good in my opinion.

(...And if you have the pleasure of joining them on the 1st or 3rd Friday of the month, they will treat you to one of their open houses from 5pm-8pm, $10. You get a Hooker glass and get to sample some of the freshest beer you will EVER have. One time, I was getting an explanation from one of the brewers in front of the fermenting tank, when he attached a pigtail to the tank and started give people a sample of their Octoberfest. To this day, this was the best Octoberfest I've EVER had. Check out their website... DEFINITELY worth stopping by if you are looking to get the party started on a Friday night.)

But here we have their Winter offering, the Nor'Easter. The pour follows suit of most of our Winter Lagers. Copper color... but surprisingly not much head on this beer at all. Only a thin white lacing near the top of the glass.

The smells are that of caramel, and... Apple Pie? Yeah, it makes sense. Malty, Bready sweetness as well with some brown sugar notes.

Spicy, yet balanced on the taste. There's a little clove going on here to join along with the sweet biscuitiness. Not sure what the IBUs are but definitely aren't very noticeable here, but that doesn't bother me one bit. Really enjoying the malt and spicy apple notes... like an apple pie right out of the oven. Did not think this was going to be well carbonated due to the pour, but was pleasantly surprised. Very nice.

For the CT people (or anyone else that has access to the Hooker Brewery), this in my mind is an absolute home run. There's a bit of extra sweetness that I got in this Winter Lager that I haven't really gotten yet this season. It's not that high in ABV, or bitter, or hopped... just a real solid Winter Lager. Pick this up for any holiday party... home or with work friends and you will look like a million bucks. Look at you... you with the tasty beer... supporting local economy... I purposely bought a six pack for this tasting, but you can believe that this is my staple for the rest of the season. Nice work, guys.

Overall: A-

Website: http://www.hookerbeer.com/

Six Geese I’m drinking … gulp (umm make that five) - 5th beer of Xmas: Goose Island Mild Winter

2011-12-19T09:00:00.002-05:00

This is by far the best pick I have made this winter drinking season.

I could drink this beer all day long. Consider it my new favorite … that is until tomorrow …

I joined the Goose Island fan club last May at Remy’s in Fenway enjoying some Sox, suds and nachos. The Windy City seems to have their act together when it comes to beer and I am happy to report their winter offering did not disappoint.

The Deets:
Style: American Mild Ale
ABV: 5.6%
International Bitterness Units: 28
Hops: Willamette, Tettnang
Malts: 2-Row, Carapils, Dark Chocolate, Roast Barley, Rye Flake

The Pour:
Light brown, maple syrup / dark honey color. Two fingers of head, no lacing.

Nose:
Not super strong, but what’s there draws you in. Fresh baked bread, a little nuttiness and some grass…maybe some apricot towards the end??

Sip:
YES YES YES!!! A nice change up from the winter beers I have been drinking. The taste is not aggressive or overly malty or bitter. No coffee tones to be found. It’s crisp, light and refreshing. It reminds me of a #9 with a roasted grain aftertaste that stays on the sides of your tongue. This brew is really well balanced and biscuity. I am a huge-HUGE fan.

This would be a crowd pleaser for multiple palates. It’s very light on the mouth feel, isn’t filling and I would expect would pair nicely with a lot of foods at a holiday gathering, tackling most buffets.

Goose Island suggests fontina or gruyere cheese as a pairing.

Not surprising, the Mild Winter scored a B+ on Beeradvocate – but I am upping the ante and giving this six pack of geese an A+.

Drinking in the season has never tasted this good.

On the 6th Beer of Christmas... Vermont Spruce Tips are in Full Effect.

2011-12-15T21:39:00.006-05:00

Brewery: Harpoon (100 Barrel Series)
ABV: 7.0% | IBU: 38

There's no surprise to the people that know me... I like to listen to people that know what they are talking about. If I'm at a restaurant and I don't know what to get on the menu, I'll ask our server... if I'm at the Supermarket, I'll ask the Butcher or Fish Guy what's good... More important, if I'm at a bar, I'll ask the bartender or server what they like. (Speaking of... Plan B Milford plug... if you get Michelle F. as a server, listen to the girl. She knows her craft beer.) These are the people that KNOW what's good and chances are you'll be happy with their advice. So when my good friend Ruark (fellow beer drinker and craft beer connoisseur) chimed in with Harpoon's Barrel Series Vermont Spruce Tip, you can better believe I'm going to listen.

First impressions on color alone, this looks like it's going to fall into the lager category. With an aggressive pour, I got about two fingers of white head that slowly disappeared. And even know as it sits in my glass, there's a non-stop effervescence going on, champagne-like. Amber/Dark Orange in color... and the lacing is pretty fluid, too. A couple of swirls around my glass... and its gone after 5-6 seconds.

Now, with a beer named "VERMONT SPRUCE TIP" I really expected a strong piney presence on the nose. Not the case here... I think the brewers wanted to focus on the natural flavors of the spruce, and NOT over hop it. Keep in mind, this offering is only at 38 IBUs. As I try to pick out any distinct smells, there's really hardly anything noticeable. Maybe some mild caramel notes, and some roastiness too. I have no idea what to expect on the taste... Let's read the bottle:

"A robust flavored ale with notes of spicy sweet pine from locally gathered spruce tips, balanced by roasty caramel malt and a hint of Chinook hops."

Ok... I have to say, MOST seasonal beers are quasi-predictable. An Octoberfest, is going to be an Octoberfest... Spring beers aim to be lighter, some hops present... Summer Beers will have some fruitiness to them (lemon, raspberry, strawberry) or be a pale ale, but mostly pretty light. Then you have Winter Beers. You have your stouts, dry, sweet... you have your lagers... you have your ipas like Lagunitas did this year... so saying something is a Winter Beer... MEANS NOTHING. It could be ANYTHING! And this beer is like nothing I've ever tasted this time of year.

The taste... I don't know if I would agree that this is a ROBUST flavored ale, but that's not saying that I'm not totally enjoying it. It looks like a lager, but drinks a lot lighter than it looks. There's a sweet, brown sugar, breadiness to it with a tasty malt quality and verrrry subtle spice notes.

The finish is very clean and crisp. Refreshing with a little, hows-ya-father bitterness in the end. This is where I get the spruce. Not in the smell, not in the taste... but in the finish. And like I mentioned, a very fresh taste to it with a touch of hop bitterness.

Given the fresh taste, you could really pair this with a lot of things. I could see going with some thai food - or some spicy/smokey bbq. A dish that grabs a hold of your taste buds... then let's the Vermont Spruce Tip clean out your palette.

Like I mentioned, Winter Beers are all over the map. And Harpoon has been doing a pretty good job with their Barrel Series. If you see this on shelf (22 oz), I'd definitely give it a go. It won't wow you... and at 7.0% it won't knock you out... but a very well balanced beer. Worth a try. There's so many other Winter varieties to try out there, I don't see myself buying another one, but if this ends up on tap somewhere - count me in.

Overall: B

The 7th beer of Christmas, was truly a gift to me: Blue Hills Three Peak Holiday Stout

2011-12-15T09:00:00.009-05:00

Three Peak Holiday Stout
Blue Hills Brewery, MA
Milk / Sweet Stout | 7.60% ABV

I am writing this review still staring at my beer in amazement and admiration. I feel as if my two favorite beverages have collided into one – wine and beer. Sounds crazy right?

Well, get me a straitjacket because I keep taking a sip and saying to myself – yep this reminds me of a delicious cabernet, how can this be!?

Let’s start from the top …

The pour: Like a cherry Coca-Cola with a small bubbly white head that fades quickly

Bouquet: Oak, right from the start, then alcohol, cherry, vanilla and plums. Honestly, it smells like I put my nose into a spicy cabernet or malbec.

Taste: It’s so unique!! This beer has a delicious oaky flavor to follow suit with the nose, and the sweetness of the lactose balances out the roasted malts to create a creamy and dry finish. The aftertaste is smoky and woodsy. (One more time for the people in the back - It reminds me of a dry red wine!!)

I agree with another taster on Beeradvocate who wrote: “Lots of oak and vanilla sent me searching the website to see if this is barrel aged?” --- I searched for the SAME thing. Couldn’t find the answer anywhere…

Despite the fact that it's a stout, the mouth feel is light and medium bodied at best. The milk stouts I have tried in the past have often left me with a chalky, chocolate milk aftertaste and I am happy to say that this is not the experience here. This is unlike anything I have ever had. I would love to bring this to a holiday party and rock people’s worlds.

Foodage: I happen to have made beef stew over the weekend, and it made a delicious sidekick.

I LOVE it and would definitely drink it again. Grade: A

On the 8th Beer of Xmas... Wolavers serves up their Oatmeal Stout

2011-12-13T20:10:00.007-05:00

Otter Creek Brewing / Wolavers
Type: Oatmeal Stout
ABV: 5.9%

Anyone else feeling a little more in the holiday spirit? I actually went out and did a little gift shopping after work yesterday... and certainly drinking all of these nice seasonals has me in a good mood. Kick back... sit with me now and let me introduce you to my buddy, Wolavers.

Whoa... Whoa... What's with the ORGANIC, Tone? You trying to save the planet one beer at a time? Let me guess, I should avoid this "healthy beer"?

Now, easy there buck-a-roo. Let's not judge a beer by its label. Yes, this IS an Organic Beer... but what exactly does that mean? (silence)

...yeah I thought so. "Organic" refers to the ingredients used to brew the beer. All of the agricultural products used fall under the USDA Standards. Natural fertilizers and non-chemical means of pest control. I'm sure my friends John and Kate (FoodCyclist.com), aka "Sussy" from the Howard Stern Show, could elaborate on that definition... but let's get to the beer.

When I'm walking in the package store, I never really give Wolavers a chance... I should too. Just a few months ago, they were a last minute addition to our 3rd Annual Pumpkin Tasting, and ended up finishing in the TOP 4! So, thank you Rit for suggesting this beauty...

It was very dark on the pour and had a slight brown/red hue near the sides of the glass. I got a little less than two fingers of fluffy head on the pour that ever so slowly settled after about 5 minutes, light tan in color. The lacing on the sides of the glass was much, much different than my last post, the Anchor Xmas Ale. This time around, the lacing coats the glass, almost creating a cascade on the sides.

The smell is something else... sweet malts, semi-sweet chocolate, vanilla... Maybe its just the time of the year, but I almost get a Christmas Cookie scent too with an almond, nuttiness. Needless to say, very enjoyable.

Over the past few years, I have acquired a taste for black coffee. Initially there's definitely a bitter-coffee quality to this beer, but it sweetens up quickly. There's a good malt texture as well... with more of that chocolate that I got in the nose. After a few sips, it was very similar to a malted milk ball flavoring.

Here's the surprise... between the beer style and color - one may think that this is going to sit like a lump of lead. But its surprisingly lighter than you would expect. A nice change for the Stout World. Come to think of it, I'm just finishing up my first beer and... hmmmm.. you know what? I think I have room for one more. You know, for the blog - just to be sure. Completely for research purposes only.

Overall: B+

Keep in mind this blog is OBVIOUSLY an opinion. So if you like a heavier stout, this isn't your beer. These are on the lighter side, which like I mentioned earlier is actually a good quality from time to time. By a 6-pk the next time you go out and enjoy a few with your friends.

Food pairing... Yes, this is a lighter stout, but still has plenty of sweetness happening. This is good on its own, but save it for dessert if you are sitting down to a meal. I had mine with some Apple Pie. Kinda awesome, not gonna lie.

...And definitely check out the Foodcyclist.com when you have a moment... the journey that these two are taking is AMAZING. JUST last week they were at Lagunitas! (See 12th Beer of Xmas)

Thanks again, Rit!!

The 9th Beer of Christmas that found its way to me … Cisco Brewers Winter Shredder

2011-12-13T09:00:00.004-05:00

Cisco Brewers, Nantucket, Mass.
Winter Shredder
6% ABV
“Brewed with all natural spices”

Well I hate to be the Debbie Downer at the Christmas party but I am not going to lie – this beer is not good.

Ugh, I feel like I am talking trash about a friend! Cisco, I love your Whale Tale Ale, Grey Lady, Pumple Drumkin and Lager of Summer, what happened here?! I believe this is the first year they have done this winter seasonal. I tried to do some research on this brew and it’s nonexistent on the World Wide Web - It is not even listed on the Cisco website beer list. (hmmm?)

SO allow me to be the first to break it down for you.

It pours slightly cloudy and dark red, with little to no head. The beer itself smells amazing with pepper, vanilla, liquorice and cherry undertones. I also get a little smokiness from the malts. So far I am excited.

When, what to my wondering taste buds should fear … this beer is gross.

The only way that it can be described is burnt popcorn.

Sip after sip I felt like I was eating handfuls of burnt popcorn and that’s a flavor that ruins your mouth. You should know that I am not afraid of bitter flavors. I drink dark roast coffee and love a good espresso but this is just over the top with hops.

This beer is so difficult to drink that I got through half a pint and dumped the rest down the drain.

The only thing that I need to figure out now is how to “shred” the five remaining bottles in my fridge, because I would certainly not push this on my friends.

Cisco, I have put you on the naughty list. Grade: F
Don’t agree? … Love this beer? … comment below!

On the 10th Beer of Xmas... 2011 Anchor's Merry Xmas Ale... AND 2010!!

2011-12-12T08:55:00.010-05:00

I was hoping to save this beer for the end of our 12 Beers of Christmas... but when opportunity starts knocking... you answer the door.

This past weekend, I spent a few days with my Brooklyn based sister, Beth. As a good sister should, she has been quite supportive of my craft beer obsession. We went around all wkd long and tried all sorts of different offerings... mainly ones that I cannot get in CT! Avery Old Jubilation (Thanks KayTee!), JW Lees Harvest Ale, Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet... not to mention the highlight of our trip, a visit to the Brooklyn Brewery where we had their BLAST! (Double IPA), Collaboration (Wheat Wine), Brown Ale and Winter Ale... and met some real cool people in the process.

At the end of our trip, we went to the Atlantic Chip Shop for a little Fish n' Chips before I hit the road. Almost "BEERED OUT" from Friday and Saturday, we were not on a mission to find what we found. As we sat down to our table, I noticed that the drink menu was about 4-5 pages. The food menu, was a double sided one pager.

"I like these odds." - Billy the Kid, Young Guns

And would you look at that... they have one of my FAVORITE holiday beers, the Anchor Merry Christmas Ale.

#1 Rare to find this time of year...

#2 Rarer to find on DRAFT!

So I ordered a pint..."Do you want the 2011 or the 2010...? We have them BOTH on draft..."

It's one thing to simply FIND this beer... its a WHOLE new deal to find TWO YEARS ON DRAFT!! So... how could I say no? The ONLY other time I've ever done something like this was with my good friend, Ian. Last year he successfully stowed away the Christmas Ale from 2009 & 2008!! So we tasted '08, '09 and '10... amazing how the flavor differs from year to year. As you will see below...

Ok... Saddle up readers, its time for another Vertical Tasting.

A little history first... this beer has been coming out since 1975. And every year, they tweak the recipe JUST a bit. Given the legacy that is this Special Beer... information isn't EXACTLY at a premium. The most I can get out of these guys is that the beer from year to year, clocks in at around 5.5% ABV. But again, that changes slightly year to year... as does their label.

Both beers pour like a very dark molasses... When held up to the light, the 2010 had a much darker tone to it, while the 2011 had a lighter, almost red hue to it. They had similar characteristics with the head retention as both years quickly dissipated only after a few minutes. The 2010 had a slightly darker tan to it on the head. Lacing is also similar with both years... a few swirls around the glass and the lacing just falls. (Sorry, no snow falling on the glass descriptions here.)

From looks alone - its very hard to tell the difference between the years... but here's where things start to split up. The 2010 has a sweet smell to it... Chocolate, Cinnamon, Sugar... Beth described it like a "Tootsie Roll"... and gosh darn it, she was RIGHT! There's a slight piney note in there too... malt... black licorice... Now, the 2011, was much more piney on the nose. There was much less sweetness too. I have to say that you really gotta get your nose into this beer to get ANY real smell out of it, regardless of the year.

The taste is the big divider from year to year. 2010... There's a bitterness up front, but slowly goes away and mellows out to reveal some cloves, malt, and piney notes. After a few sips, the flavors begin to linger a little more, almost filmy. I feel that because of this, your palette almost disregards the initial bitter bop off the top, and allows you to truly enjoy this beer for what it is. Smooth, creamy and delicious. (Cue: Roaring fire, comfy clothes, slippers, etc.). The finish is pretty dry too... Makes you just wanna go back in and keep sipping.

Now, with the 2011, it's good. BUT... You definitely don't get the smoothness that you get with the previous year. Dare I say... it has a medicinal taste to it. And the filminess that lingers over a few sips... keeps that bitterness going in your mouth which I can see a few people, NOT being a fan of. Since I've become more and more into beers that can be very bitter, I almost don't mind it. But if I have the option to pick the current Christmas Ale year to any previous year... you can bet your partridge in a pear tree I'm going for the previous year.

I have to say too, I really ONLY get this comparison when I have both beers in front of me. When Ian and I did our vertical tasting last year... we hardly touched the 2010 because we got a similar medicinal taste to it. But '08 and '09... that was something to write home about. But here we are, one year later, and now the 2010 is the smooth one and the 2011 has that young, bitter taste to it.

My advice for anyone looking to try this beer... it's a very good choice. It only comes out once a year so definitely take advantage of it. On its own - the 2011 can definitely hang. It's different, spicy, Christmasy... BUT, taste it from year to year... and you'll notice that this beer ages very nicely. If you can, I would buy (2) 6 pks... enjoy one this year... and hide one for next year. Then you can compare it to the 2012 and have your OWN vertical tasting! Again, it really is amazing how you can taste the difference!

Food Pairing:
There's a good amount of spice happening with these guys... Beth suggested a beef stew, which I could totally see. We both agreed that it would go well with something that you'd normally want to eat that would warm you up from the city streets. The chicken curry that Beth ordered (see below) went REALLY well.

Special thanks to of course my sister for taking me ALL around this wkd and our awesome waitress at the Atlantic Chip Shop... if you are in the Brooklyn Area, definitely check it out. Just make sure there isn't a "football" game going on. You don't want to upset the locals.

Anchor Brewing: WEBSITE

The 11th beer of Christmas, Southie Liquors recommended to me: Avery Brewing Company, Old Jubilation Ale

2011-12-09T09:00:00.007-05:00

I walked into my local liquor store like a kid waking up on Christmas - excited for all of the possibilities. I've picked up some great choices for this countdown to Christmas series, and I am looking forward to unwrapping each bottle like a present. I have to say, it’s nice to make the switch over to winter.

I bring to you Avery’s Old Jubilation Ale.

Avery Brewing hails from Boulder, Colorado and they have been churning out delicious suds since 1993. They offer about 20 different ales, two of my favorites being Ellie’s Brown Ale and the White Rascal. I find Avery’s beers to be reliable, balanced and flavorful.

As their website states: “We brew what we like to drink--with utter disregard for what the market demands-- and search out fans with equally eccentric palates. We learned long ago that expressing your true self is much more fulfilling than giving in to outside pressures. Don't you agree?” – Yes, whole heartily.

The beer itself is beautiful. It’s dark brown with a little cherry hue peeking through. It poured a small white head which dissipated quickly, leaving a pretty lacing like snow on my glass (awe).

The smell reminded me of campfire smoke and hot chocolate. I also picked up mahogany and coffee. My friend and fellow taste-tester, Page, said it reminded her of the time she burnt fudge, (For all of you holiday bakers out there).

The taste is aggressive and bitter with roasted malts, especially the finish. It’s nutty with toffee and mocha and has some barley wine qualities to it. It takes a couple sips before it really opens up and starts to come together. It’s delicious and smokey.

The label reads: No spices, just a perfect blend of five specialty malts. Cellarable for 2+ years. This is one of the nice changes about winter seasonals. The fall can be so overrun with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove that you need a break.

The mouth feel is dry, medium bodied and definitely has staying power on your tongue. This is not a beer that you forget about. It packs some power. I was shocked that the alcohol wasn’t more present in the taste. This beer goes down easy and it clocks in at an 8.3% ABV. (Careful bringing this one to your work holiday party)

This beer is a perfect for the winter. It makes me want to curl up with my snuggie by the fire and relax. It warms you up, without filling you up and makes you feel cozy; everything a cold weather ale should accomplish. I would definitely pick up a six pack again for a quite night in with friends.

This strong tasting brew needs strong tasting food. I would say a Texas style chilli or a dish with dark chocolate mole would pair nicely. A holiday roast would also make a nice companion. However, I just snacked on some mixed nuts and was as happy as the Cold Miser in the North Pole. This beer gets an A- from me.

Beer Style: English Old Ale
Hop Variety: Bullion
Malt Variety: Two-row barley, special roast, black, chocolate, victory
OG: 1.074 ABV: 8.3% IBUs: 30
Color: Mahogany

Drink on! It's winter in New England, what else is there to do?

On the 12th Beer of Xmas, my true love gave to me...

2011-12-08T09:07:00.005-05:00

December 8th, 2011… I’ll be honest. As someone living in the Northeast, I’ve had a difficult time getting into the Christmas/Holiday spirit. Maybe the “Snowpocalypse” back in October threw things for a loop. Snow in October and a balmy November?! What the heck is going on.

So Kate approached me the other day with a fantastic idea. Let’s take the “12 Days of Christmas” mantra… take out the DAYS part and add BEERS. WHAT A CONCEPT!! Without further adieu… I present to you the Beer411: 12 Beers of Christmas Countdown!!! For the next 12 weekdays, Kate and I are going to help you get through the day. Stop worrying about what beer to buy for your holiday gathering or family function. In fact, we’re putting the “FUN” back in Function.

Similar to the Fall/Pumpkin Beer season, people usually ask, what’s out there… Any recommendations, Tone? We are knee deep in the Winter Beer season, and with each year, there seems to be more and more options. Let Kate and I tell you what we like… so the next time you need to pick something out at the Package Store to dominate your Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater party, show up as the CHAMP… not the Chimp.

…On the 12th Beer of Christmas… my true love gave to me…

Beer: Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale
Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 7.85%

What better way to kick off our little Beer411 Christmas Campaign… let’s head to Cali to visit one of my favorite breweries, Lagunitas. They are well known for their Little Sumpin, Sumpin, Little Sumpin Wild, Pils, Maximus… but this holiday season they, well – they kinda, err… uhhh… they @#$%@#$ up.

Actually, their problem isn’t exactly a BAD one either… Business has been GREAT for the guys over at Lagunitas. To the point where they are EXPANDING their operation at the brewery to meet the needs of the demanding craft beer public!

Only… one… problem…

Normally this time of year, they have one of their most popular releases, Brown Shugga. It’s a delicious 10.0% ABV that has been getting rave reviews. However, due to the expansion, the expensive ingredients and the lengthy time that Brown Shugga takes in the fermenters, the Brewers decided that it would be best to skip out on their Brown Shugga production this holiday season. If they tried to release as usual, they would not ONLY not be able to produce as much, but the extra time would cause a dip in production of their better-selling regulars. Too limited, too little… time for Plan B. Enter Holiday Ale, Stage Right.

Or, for the official name: Lagunitas SUCKS Holiday Ale (Brown Shugga Substitute)

The beer is comprised of a cereal type base. The beer purports to be "full of complexishness" from the addition of 4 grains -- barley, rye, wheat, and oats.
The pour is light in color… A red/orange hue, with mostly Amber overtone. Definitely a nice surprise as MOST Holiday beers around this time of year focus on Sweet, Malty, Rich, flavors. Flavors like Coffee, Chocolate, Nutmeg, Cinnamon… Nothing against them, they just weren’t invited to the party.

IPA fans unite… this has a big nose all over it. Tons of grapefruit, and almost a touch of orangey sweetness. Floral and citrus notes, as well. Hmmm… is that Pineapple? Some type of sweet citrus fruit.

Takin' a sip... yaaaaaa.(Thank you BeerCoasters!) A definite bitter presence here. I was surprised since the IBU (International Bittering Units) was around 63.21. It IS a pretty high IBU, but without looking at that number I would think that by taste alone, this beer HAS to be around 75 IBUs or higher. One of my favorite Lagunitas offerings is their Hop Stoopid… registering at a whopping 102 IBUs!! The taste in this case is pretty similar to the citrus smells I described earlier. You get hit with some sweetness up front, smooth mouthfeel and then a bitterness at the end. Clean, crisp finish.

As I mentioned before, this beer is NOT your normal holiday beer. Definitely a nice change for those of us that enjoy a quality IPA and are looking for a break from the Winter Lager, Caramel, Toffee, Sweetness that is usually found this time of year.

Food pairing… hmmmm. I’d go with a nice sharp cheese. This is a good beer to start your night off with. Full of flavor, high ABV, opens up your taste buds, and pairs well with cheese. Preferably, some delicious Calef’s Country Store Extra Sharp Cheese… :)

Overall: B+

Fear not, Lagunitas fans… it is reported that Brown Shugga will be back next holiday season.

…However, I would not upset if their Holiday Ale comes back from time to time. Lagunitas may SUCK, but this substitute, certainly did not disappoint.

Navigating the dinner table with your favorite cup of cheer: Beer

2011-11-30T17:42:00.004-05:00

While a traditional table setting usually includes a wine glass and NOT a pint glass, I say put down that tepid $10 chardonnay and challenge your taste buds by pairing beer with your holiday meal this year.

Beer is often revered as less classy in formal settings, but recently there has been a shift in the culinary world in regards to craft brews. Yes, sipping a can of bud heavy at any dinner table would be appalling, but enjoying a delicious craft brew from a frosty glass with your holiday meal deserves a righteous high five in my book.

Many chefs and cooks would also argue that beer pairs better with more foods than its vino counterpart, which can often be too acidic and overpowering for most proteins and cheeses. With beer there is an expansive variety of flavor profiles to choose from to create delicious pairings. So let’s drop the stereotype and move forward shall we? It’s nearly 2012.

The first rule in any food/beverage pairing is always, there are no rules. Have fun, experiment and bring friends into the mix to succeed and fail along with you. If you find an unorthodox combination that you think we should know about please share! We want in on the goodness.

Here are some suggestions from Beer411 to get you started.

If you are familiar with wine pairings, beer pairings work the same way. You want to match the level of intensity of the food with the intensity of the beer. An assertive meal needs a beer to match and a lighter fare should not be overpowered by the brew you are enjoying it with. Keep the flavors even keeled to complement each other by finding similar characteristics; sweet with sweet, heavy with heavy and light with light.

I plucked this helpful guide from Epicurious to help you transition from wine to beer.

Light Body
Wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Barbera, Pinot Grigio
Beers: Lager, Pilsner, Wheat

Medium Body
Wines: Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah
Beers: Ale, IPA, Bock

Heavy Body
Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Oaky Chardonnay
Beers: Stout, Porter, Barleywine

Also if you are coursing your beer selections work from lightest to heaviest so you don’t blow out your palate and appetite.

Some beer-food-pairing enthusiasts work in a “ying and yang” fashion while making their combinations, meaning a super spicy dish might work well with a fruity ale to cut some of the heat, while others fight fire with fire and use the power of a bock to keep the spice in its place.

I read in multiple places that highly carbonated beers help to cut grease and fat in fried food dishes and can keep your palate refreshed while eating. Honestly, the possibilities are endless!

Recently, I had dinner at a friend’s and paired beer with each course. I was very pleased with my work and it was fun to get the reactions from all the guests who are normally dinner wine drinkers. I stayed with beers that I know and love and could drink anytime. I think that is sound advice for any novice attempting to create a beer pairing.

This is what went down:

Appetizer - Cheese plate of creamy goat, a stilton blue and Jarlsberg Swiss cheese
Pairing - Opa Opa Belgian White
Results – Cheese and wheat love each other, it’s a fact. As suspected the Opa Opa went best with the tangy goat cheese, then the blue and lastly the Swiss. Opa Opa’s white ale is one of my favorites. It’s well brewed, citrusy, light and refreshing, a perfect first course.

Main course – Roast beef, mushroom gravy, garlic mash potatoes and green bean almondine
Pairing - Ellie’s Brown Ale
Results – This is a perfect fall/winter beer. It has a well balanced amount of malt and hops and plays nice with almost anything thing that I have eaten with it. It has a nutty, butteryness that I knew would play well off of the mash potatoes and mushrooms in the gravy. It inspired me to try making gravy with beer instead of wine next time – it works in stew right? Another homerun, I must say.

Dessert – Apple crisp with vanilla bean ice cream (OUCH so full!!)
Pairing – Rogue’s Chocolate Stout
Results – The oaty, bitter-sweet finish of the chocolate stout was delicious next to the sweet coldness of the ice cream and warm apples. I think dessert is probably the easiest pairing to make so if you are fearful start here … or just drink your dessert, which I do often anyway.

All in all a great evening of food, beer and conversation.
For more food pairing ideas check out: http://www.alabev.com/foodpair.htm

Eat, drink and be Merry - Happy Holidays!

3rd Annual Pumpkin Beer Tasting Challenge!!

2011-10-18T10:41:00.009-04:00

So after months and months of planning... it all came down to this past Sunday. The stage was set... the field was locked. Out of the new craze that is Pumpkin Beer, I found several individuals that were willing to embark on a journey that not many would DARE try.

...oh yes, we dared.

Including myself, I found 8 adventurous people, willing to put their pride, their needs, wants and MOST IMPORTANTLY, their taste buds on the line to determine which Pumpkin Beer stood out among the rest.

16 Pumpkin Beers Enter. But only one leaves victorious.

The field was set as follows (in random order):
1. Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale
2. Post Road Pumpkin Ale (Brooklyn)
3. Uinta Punk'n
4. UFO Pumpkin Ale
5. Shipyard Pumpkinhead
6. Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin
7. Heavy Seas Great Pumpkin
8. Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale
9. Sam Adams Harvest Pumpkin
10. Riverhorse Imperial Pumpkin
11. Sea Dog Pumpkin Ale
12. Dogfish Punkin
13. Wolavers Pumpkin Ale
14. Cisco Bay Pumple Drumkin
15. Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale
16. Southern Tier PumKing

At a quick glance... one might think that Dogfish or Shipyard would be the heavily favored beers since they've had the most experience. But how would the newbies of the Pumpkin World stack up... like Sam Adams... or would a rare find on the East Coast like Uinta (out of Salt Lake City), swoop in and take the title...

Enough talk. Time to operate.

We took the field of 16 and split them up into four regions, similar to how the NCAA tournament is in College Basketball around March. We took heavily favored beers like Weyerbacher (last year's runner up), and Post Road Pumpkin Ale (Two Time Champion) and gave them a #1 seed. After we passed out 4 top #1 seeds, we gave out the #2, #3, and #4 seeds in each region. Then, in a separate room, we had someone who was not taking part in the tasting randomly pick out the matchups so we had no idea which beers would be facing off. Once things kicked off, we were handed Beer A and Beer B. We smelled... tasted... compared notes... debated... fought... clawed... kicked... Until after about 2-3 minutes, we voted.

ALL IN FAVOR OF BEER A...

ALL IN FAVOR OF BEER B...

And there you had it... Matchup #1 in the books. We had pairing after pairing after pairing... breaking in-between rounds to let our palates return to normal. Some votes went 8-0... while others were more split, 5-3. In one case, we had a 4-4 result, ultimately having one of the proctors try the beers and voting for their favorite.

Its amazing to break down Pumpkin Beer after Pumpkin Beer... sweetness, spiciness, booziness, the nose, the finish, is it Crisp? Balanced? Tart? Fruity? Malty?

As the day drew on, we headed into the finals... Tensions were high and palms were sweaty. Beer A and Beer B. Who would get the FINAL VOTE!?!?

BEER A:
"A" was delicious, but definitely had a lot of sweet characteristics. subtle spice notes, malty with a big pumpkin nose. The sweetness was a little over the top for me. It was really good, but the question was... Could have I more than one? I don't know. This would be a GREAT beer to crack open to start the night off, or for a special occasion, but overall, I don't know how MUCH I could drink. A felt like it would be good to have one and move onto something else, less sweet. This guy had a strong alcohol presence too. Probably came from one of the 22 oz bombers if I had to guess...

BEER B:
"B"... WOW. I knew this last vote would be the toughest one on the day. I really liked this beer. A little spicier than A, with lots of cinnamon and clove notes. Both beers has more of a Pumpkin Pie type mouth-feel... where as some of the other beers we had on the day at a crisp, fresh pumpkin taste. "B" was sneaky though... yes, there were alcohol qualities to this one as well... but when compared to BEER A, it wasn't as evident. And another thing I enjoyed about this beer was the sweet factor. Not as high as BEER A, and slightly maltier. VERY drinkable. I could probably have a few of these without ANY problem.

ALL IN FAVOR OF BEER A:

.......................................

ALL IN FAVOR OF BEER B:

8 VOTES!!!! BEER B IS YOUR WINNER!!!

(SPOILER ALERT***SPOILER ALERT***SPOILER ALERT)

In 2nd place, the Heavy Seas Great Pumpkin (hsbeer.com)!!!

So congratulates to the Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale (weyerbacher.com) for taking this year's TITLE!!! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN... YOUR 2011 CHAMPION!!!

I really liked Weyerbacher's offering this year, so its no surprise that it took this year's championship home. What WAS surprising though... I have to give out ONE MORE AWARD on the day. Now, as we set up the field of 16, this beer was practically an afterthought. But when the names were revealed... it turned out to be in our FINAL FOUR!!

So congratulations to this year's COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR, Wolavers Pumpkin Ale!! (wolavers.com)

All in all, it was a GREAT day. And while we've had other pumpkin tasting before, I have to thank Beeriety for giving us the idea of having this tasting in the tournament format (blog.beeriety.com). And to my girlfriend, Michelle for the seeding/region idea, and to EVERYONE that helped out on the day. It was a glorious day of pumpkin goodness.

...and I'm already looking forward to the 2012 tournament.

I did record a few segments for the Beercoasters Podcoast (beercoasterspodcast.com), so STAY TUNED if they end up using our our footage in their weekly podcast!!

Enjoy those pumpkin beers while they are still on the shelves!! Winter varieties are already starting to invade the packies!!

Cheers!!
~Tony

Pumpkin Beer... Ice Cream ?

2011-10-04T16:14:00.003-04:00

Ice Cream... Awesome.

Beer... Awesome.

Pumpkin Beer... Really Awesome.

(wait for it...)

Pumpkin Beer ICE CREAM!!!

CraftBeer.com | Recipes: Pumpkin Beer Ice Cream

Time of the Season

2011-09-28T08:39:00.011-04:00

There's been a little growing debate these days... so I decided to jump into the fray.

I've noticed a consistent theme year after year the older I get. No, its not that I haven't grown since 8th grade... this is a beer blog, FOCUS! We're talking booze here.

Drink Craft Beer (@DrinkCraftBeer) brought this topic to the forefront yesterday:

Seasonal Offerings.

In their post yesterday, they said:

"All the brewers want to be first to market. The first beer of the season you try is the one you’re going to stick with most likely and has switched your taste-season to the next season."

(To read the entire post, click here: Why Seasonal Craft Beer Comes Out So Early

They bring up a lot of valid points... but it really depends on where you stand. The impression that they got from the breweries that they've talked to is that its a race to get to the market first. Get in the face of the consumer and you'll stick with them for the remainder of the season. Yeah, I guess that COULD be true... but certainly not in my world. I remember back in the beginning of August, I was VERY excited for the upcoming Pumpkin beer season. (Definitely one of my favorites along with the Holiday/Winter season.) So there I was the day before my buddy's wedding... August 5th. At the local packy... And would you believe it? UFO Pumpkin Ale. Shelved and stocked. Pumpkin Ales?? On August 5th?!? Really???

As much as people say that being the first to the market has a lasting impression on the consumer, I felt it had the reverse effect on me. Here we are in the final month of the Fall/Pumpkin beer season, and I have YET to have the UFO Pumpkin. Regardless of the REAL story, I felt like they rushed the brewing process just to get it on the shelves. So every time I've seen it, I look right past it.

That being said, I've actually heard a lot of good things about the UFO Pumpkin Ale. So no offense to the brewers at the Harpoon Brewery. And I usually dig most of the stuff Harpoon puts out, but I just avoided it BECAUSE it was first. The breweries that took their time, Smuttynose, Heavy Seas, Shipyard (Smashed Pumpkin), Brooklyn Post Road..., those are the beers that I grabbed off the shelves when they arrived.

Switch gears for a second... Let's go into the Sporting World... This situation is similar to how I view where we are with Yankees/Sox games today (bare with me, I'm making a point). When I was growing up, the Yanks would play the Sox maybe 9 times a year... maybe a few more. Every game was important. Now, in today's day and age, due to their high demand, the Yanks and Sox play each other over 20 times a year. Bottomline, people will pay good $$$ to see them play each other. TV stations will get great rating every time they're on TV. Everyone makes money... but the beauty of it, has lost a bit of its luster. But is that REALLY bad? And looking at UConn sports, we are on the brink of potentially leaving the Big East to join the ACC. If that is the case, of course it will be sad to see us leave the conference. But, being a positive thinker, let's focus on the good parts. Joining the ACC would mean more Duke/UConn games. I loathe Duke. I respect them, but when I see a Duke jersey, I get that "did you just kill a kitten" kinda feeling. Sorry, its how I was raised. So needless to say, I bleed for UConn/Duke games. '90, '99, '04 - Those are a part of UConn HISTORY!! And if we do join the ACC, there will be more and more Duke/UConn showdowns. Still very cool... but not as "magical" as they were in the past.

So where does that leave us in our quest for maintaining all that is sacred in terms of Seasonal beer? Have we lost the "magic" ? Is August too early for Pumpkin Beers? Yes, August is too early... but I think we have to find other ways to keep the magic going. There are new breweries that pop up all the time, and ESPECIALLY for Pumpkin beers, recipes are CONSTANTLY changing. More spice, less spice, more malt, more boozy, more pumpkin taste... And you have to admit, the increasing demand for Pumpkin beers is much higher than its been in the past... I can remember the pumpkin season lasting about 3 weeks in September. If you didn't jump on board until October, it was SLIM PICKINS. Now, while it IS starting much earlier, at least its lasting until October. So technically we're getting almost 4 more weeks!!

My advice to you, TAKE CONTROL OF THE SEASON!! If you see those beers that you have been waiting for, but AREN'T QUITE in the mood to crack it open yet (Pumpkin, Holiday, Spring, Summer), then find a good place to cellar your purchase at home and open it when YOU are ready, rather when the brewery wants you to be ready.

BEER411 TURNS TWO!!

2011-09-02T08:56:00.005-04:00

HAAAAAAAAAAAAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
HAAAAAAAAAAAAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
HAAAAAAAAAAAAPPY BIIIIIIRTHDAAAAAAY DEAR BEER411!
HAAAAAAAAAAAAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Wow... Two years old. Never knew how long Kate and I would keep this going, but we've had a blast bringing the knowledge of our favorite beverage and humor to all of our readers. Thank you so much for your support... We've learned a lot too and continue to find new things out everyday. Our readers ROCK!!

So for our birthday... Let me take you back to a beer that my buddy Jim and I found the other night. Well, we didn't "find" it, I mean Weyerbacher is a good name in beer, but we were on a mission to find a Pumpkin ale on draft. After all, the Pumpkin Ales have EXPLODED in the CT Packies so one would think that a draft Pumpkin Ale wouldn't be hard to find.

Well, we didn't find it until we got to our 3rd establishment... and boy was it worth the trip. Now, one thing to keep in mind, Weyerbacher is the favorite Pumpkin beer of our good friend John year after year. See, every year we set up a pumpkin beer tasting where we blindly taste about 10 pumpkin beers to see which one we like the most. For two years in a row he's picked this out BLINDLY as his favorite. That being said...

If this year's Imperial Pumpkin offering on tap is ANY indication how good it is in bottles, I think the other Pumpkins out there better cower in fear.

This beer is NOT a Pumpkin session beer... no M'am. At 8%, this was served in a snifter type glass. The color was dark orange with a slight red hue to it. It also had about two fingers of white fluffy head.

The smell that I got from this glass is a combination of Pumpkin Pie and Happiness. Ok, the happiness part is my own contribution, but you get the idea. Cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin, nutmeg... all in the mix there.

Tasting... whoa mama. I dare you to try and not smile after taking a sip. Lots of the smells back up the taste here. Really no surprises. Full of flavor and malt. Slight nuttiness as well with a little orange peel. I must say, as a hop head, I enjoyed the hop/flavor balance throughout. When drinking this beer, you know the ABV is higher than most, but hard to realize that its way up there at 8%. Gotta love that Ninja ABV...

The finish just keeps the party going. Smooth, dry... Medium-bodied. Tons of pumpkininess. The sweetness is not too over the top at the end, but you do get a slight caramel presence.

I have to add that this WAS my first draft pumpkin beer of the season. Looking over some of the reviews online, this beer seems to be all over the map. Some LOVE, while some felt like it's "Not in the same league" as the other pumpkin beers. MOST of the reviews I noticed however are from drinking out of the bottle. Well, MOST beers are BETTER on draft, no? But even after having it both on draft and the bottle, I have to say, this is one of my favorites of the season. As the weather starts to change, crack open the Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin to warm you up on those cool Fall evenings.

Ok, great, Tone... you just reviewed a pumpkin beer and said it tasted like "pumpkins". Awesome. What's my takeaway from this? Is it good? What makes it different from other pumpkin beers?

I get it... You wanna know if you should get this. Several things to keep in mind is the high ABV (8%), medium-bodied quality, and lots of spice. If you are having a gathering and want to have a few pumpkin beers throughout the evening, this may NOT beer the best pumpkin beer to grab. But, if you plan on just having like one or two, and enjoy beer with a little more gitty up, than this is for you.

Overall: A

Coming Next Month... the 3RD ANNUAL PUMPKIN ALE TASTING EXPERIENCE. 16 ALES ENTER... 1 ALE LEAVES!!!

Quote of the Week:

[Referring to AB (Anheuser Busch) products] "I'd rather be seen in public with a Zima." - Beercoaster Mike from the Beercoasters Podcast

No More Mr. Nice Guy

2011-08-15T08:49:00.010-04:00

That's it... I'm calling myself out.

Let me paint the CLASSIC scenario for you:

FRIEND: HEY TONE!!! What do you think of that beer you're drinking?
ME: Umm, let's see... I don't know... it's NICE though.
FRIEND: Oh... cool.

- - or this scenario - -

ME: (writing/reading a review) ...As I tasted the beer, it had a, uhh, well... a NICE mouthfeel with a uhh, NICE finish. (scratching forehead)

- - - - - - - - -

Let's be honest... how OFTEN have you heard that. From Newbies to Home Brewers. Everyone seeks shelter under that safe word: N-I-C-E. It's a NICE beer... it's got a NICE color to it... it's got a NICE finish though... the smell is NICE...

WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!? Ok granted, I know you like the beer... but am I going to like the beer? Maybe your NICE is my NASTY!

So here it is folks... the challenge to myself and ANYONE else of our fellow readers. The next time you taste a craft beer or someone asks your opinion... STAY AWAY from the word "NICE". Dig for those adjectives!! Here's a few that I fall back on based on what you are describing:

How much head is on the beer, what color is it...?

Fluffy
White
Tan
Brown
One-Finger of Head
Two-Fingers
A Yeti Finger (SEE BELOW, thank you Beercoasters)

How does it look...?

Straw
See-through
Yellow
Amber
Red Hue
Orangey
Black
Tan
Brown

How does it smell...?

Citrus
Bitter
Vanila
Hoppy
Malty
Rotten Eggs
Bready
Alcohol
Stinky
Chocolate
Nutmeg
Licorice
Coffee
Burnt Hair
Mocha
Fruity
Garbagey
Blueberry
Grapefruit

How does it taste...?

Malty
Bready
Sweet
Spicy
Sour
Strong
Metallic
Like a Jolly Rancher
Boozy
Intense
Medicinal
Bubblegum
Flavorful
Bland
Could someone pick up my tongue that's on the floor?
Bitter
Hoppy
Flavor like a Chuck Norris Sidekick in FACE!!

How does it finish...?

Dry
Wait, what happened?
Light
Smooth
Vomitus
Strong
Bitter
Refreshing
Sour
I think I have a cavity

And the good news is here folks... THERE'S NO WRONG ANSWERS!! You all PASS!! WOO HOO! So forget your old habits... Avoid "NICE" and get into the guts of what the beer is all about. You may surprise yourself the more you try it!

- - - - - - - - -

Another thing that I've enjoying doing lately is pairing up my beverage of choice to a meal. For example... if I'm going to have some hot wings, I'm probably not going to pour myself a spicy Saison beer or something that's real boozy and highly alcoholic (ENTER Harpoon Leviathan Series STAGE RIGHT). Rather... pick something that is not going to over-power your food. For wings, I'd go with a Pale Ale, or something mildly hoppy like a Dogfish 60 min or my current favorite Whale's Tail Pale Ale from Cisco Brewing. Mmmmm... Wings... Beer. Flavor Country, Party of 1.

On the flipside maybe you just finished a nice meal and are about to have some dessert... A Rice Pudding, or Tiramisu type. Light, sweet, creamy, mild chocolate notes... I'd go with a Stone Russian Imperial Stout or a Breckenridge Vanilla Porter. (Thanks Vanilla Mike!!) Pick a beer with some body to it, but isn't necessarily going to blow you out of the water with booziness and/or sweetness. I always love black coffee with a real sweet dessert - because it balances out! Same goes for pairing it up with your beer.

Quick shout out to our new friend, Vanilla Mike, at the Somersworth Village Market in New Hampshire. A few weeks ago, I stopped in and Mike hooked me up with some great info on their selection. This place has an "A+" rating on BeerAdvocate.com and is well worth it. I picked up the Firestone Walker Double IPA and per Mike's suggestion, the Breckenridge Vanilla Porter... both of which I've never seen around CT. Check them out if you are in the area! Thanks Mike!!

Happy Early Weekend from Beer411... we are slowly turning into our favorite beer season... FALL! Start being on the lookout for Pumpkin Ales and Octoberfests GALORE!!

What do you mean, JUST craft beer?

2011-08-11T11:25:00.006-04:00

Here's a post that I've been meaning to do for a while now. Sit down, class is in session.

BEER WARS:
Every now and again I'll get into conversations with my fellow beerians about what's good, what's on tap, etc. And every now and again, I catch one of my friends, with an Anheuser Busch product.

"Are you kidding me with that beer, " Is my normal retort. And they usually respond with... "What's the big deal?!"

Let me introduce you the documentary that made things a big deal. This, in fact, changed my view point on beer forever.

I knew there were breweries of all shapes and sizes all over the place. But I guess I never really did the math on how big (or small) they really are. And who really are the bigger breweries? This movie is what got my girlfriend and I on the "Say No to Budweiser" kick.

Folks, I get it... you're not always in the Dogfish 90 min or Stone Russian Imperial Stout mood. I get it. (I don't understand it... but I get it.) Sometimes you just want a cheap beer to kick back. But learning about how the bigger boys of the beer world badly bully the brewmaster business around (that was a lot of "B's")... I hope you'll understand my point. Check out my last post about, "Whaler Ale." I just can't support something like that. Once you watch this, perhaps you'll see things as I did. For those that have Netflix, this is readily available to you(Instant Streaming!).

Beer Wars Trailer:

Moral of the story... if you HAVE to go cheap, stick to a Miller Coors product... Go Coors Light if you must. But I implore you (as the Beercoasters say), "DRINK LOCAL!!"

UNTAPPD:
There are times when I'm out with my friends having a beer and they'll see me on my phone as soon as I get a beer. They'll ask me, "What are you doing?" Allow me to introduce you both:

My friends, Untappd... Untappd, my friends.

The Foursquare craz is everywhere... check in here, check in there... Well, Untappd is Foursquare for Beer drinkers. Keep track of WHAT you drink... WHERE you drink it... Make friends... compare notes... even TOAST when you check in! Earn special badges for IPADay, drinking Summer Ales, Being loyal to certain Breweries... AND MORE!!!

BEERCOASTERS PODCAST:
I stumbled across this podcast once I got my new job a few months ago. I found myself at a desk all day long. I noticed that a lot of people here listen to music, talk radio, etc... through their computers. I was getting tired of JUST music, so I found these guys.

Toby, Mike and Chris get together via the interweb to bring you a weekly podcast that enlightens you about all things beer. These guys cover East Coast (Mike), West Coast (Toby) and everywhere in-between(Chris). And every now and then, they'll bring on the occasional special guest! Each week they have their tasting flights, beer reviews, "hop" topics, or even Backwash, which is their listen feedback section.

Tune in TOMORROW to hear the boys tackle my latest post about the infamous "Whaler Ale". You can listen to them by going directly to their website, or find them through the iTunes Store.

BEER CULTURE:
This last item... I have nothing to contribute. But its certainly NEXT on my list. After my weekend in Baltimore at the Dogfish Brewery and the Heavy Seas Brewery, it got me thinking about how alike the craft beer movement is now, and the American Dream when people came to America for a new opportunity. (Again, see my POST about this one!)

Beer Culture Trailer 1 from Free Mind Productions on Vimeo.

CLASS DISMISSED!! Have a great weekend from Beer411! CHEERS!

Beer says, "You can't handle the truth!"

2011-08-07T11:21:00.008-04:00

Hey Beer411 Family... I feel distant. Seems as though I've been doing more research than writing. Time to sit down and have a little family chat. This is only for your own good. Trust me, you'll thank me later. Learn from mistakes I've made, so you don't do the same...

This took place about two weeks ago... I give you Exhibit A. The Whaler Ale tap found at a bar down in New Haven. Being a CT native and a strong support of local beer and the former NHL Hockey team the Hartford Whalers, this instantly appealed to me. And why wouldn't it? At almost any sporting event in CT, at some point, there's one person that starts a "Let's Go Whalers" chant. For those that don't know, the team was moved back in 1997 to North Carolina and became the Carolina Hurricanes. Since then, local supporters have fought to get a team back to CT, but have come up short. Recently, the AHL team formerly known as the Hartford Wolfpack (affiliate to the New York Rangers), was re-branded, the Connecticut Whale. There is CLEARLY a strong backing for the Whalers... they haven't been a team since 1997 and there are still die-hard supporters everywhere in CT.

That being said...

My girlfriend and I were down in New Haven a few weeks ago and came across this tap. Local beer... Whalers... gotta love it. Neither of us have seen nor heard of this beer so we were both interested in where it came from. When I asked the bartender, he instantly replied that it was from the Hooker Brewery. Skeptical but thirsty, I ordered a pint. I'm on the Hooker mailing list... and try and support them as best I can... how could I have never ever HEARD of this? I took a picture of the cool green Whale tap and posted it to Facebook.

Within minutes, to my surprise I received a few comments WARNING me of this beer. One person commented... "Don't do it! It's a Budweiser product!" In fact, when this person first came across this tap, the bartender refused to tell her that the Whaler Ale is in fact a Bud product until she first tried it. Hmmmm... Now, I was REALLY skeptical that this came out of the Hooker Brewery in Bloomfield, CT. As a member of the CT Beer Trail, I begun to do a little research on their site as well. Come to find out, that someone had the same question a few months ago. Along this post, someone was insistent that this beer was out of the Harpoon Brewery.

A sneaky bartender... Hooker... Harpoon... Budweiser... ? Something just didn't add up.

I mean, if this IS in fact from a local brewery, why is it so difficult to find out where its brewed? We should certainly give credit, where credit is due. It's really a no-brainer... Local Whaler supporters + Local CT breweries = SUPPORT! Unless its not local...

The day after we had the Whaler Ale, my girlfriend found a very interesting article online that claimed, the Whaler Ale is not local, but in fact the Budweiser American Ale simply re-branded to tug on the Heartstrings of CT natives. ARE YOU SERIOUS?? How could a company stoop so low.

Now, nothing has been proven... yet. But several reports btw articles and personal accounts have backed the claim that it is a Bud product, which is sad. I even sent some "Backwash" to our friends at the Beercoasters Podcast to see if they can shed some light on the subject. If this ends up being the case, I'm shocked that someone would let this happen. We have some fantastic breweries in the state of CT including, Hooker, New England Brew, Willimantic Brew, Olde Burnside, City Steam, Cottrell... and the list goes on. I'm sure that ANY one of them would have JUMPED at the opportunity to be the official brewery of the Whaler Ale. Support local economy too? It would have been a perfect combination.

So I urge you all, be careful what you are ordering when you find yourself out in the CT beer scene. Don't be afraid to ASK, if you aren't sure who brews the beer. Be smart out there. Because if it looks local... appears to be local... and even tastes like it could be local simply because its different... it may NOT be.

Tread softly Beer411 Family.

Craft Beer and the American Dream

2011-07-21T10:27:00.011-04:00

At the risk of sounding a little too deep for a beer blog... I felt like something of this nature needs to be said. Last weekend I spent a FANTASTIC time with some of my closest friends down in the Baltimore/DC area. This all started a few months ago when a few of us were discussing a trip to visit Camden Yards (where the Orioles play) and hit a few breweries along the way. Long story short, we locked up an itinerary and decided that along with the baseball game, we would do some sightseeing in DC and visit both the Dogfish Head Brewery in Delaware and the Heavy Seas Brewery in Baltimore (formerly Clipper City). Both on my craft beer bucket list.

I love learning about craft beer. Yes, there's the obvious benefits. I mean, come on, It's Beer! You start spending your money (in some cases more than you'd like to!) but nevertheless spending your money on GOOD beer. None of this 'Great taste, Less filling' or 'This is beer' marketing schemes. Speaking of, a few days ago, Beer411 Katie tweeted that Molsen Coors is putting out a line of "Female Beers." [CLICK HERE FOR THE STORY]

Really, really...?

Ok, back to my original thought: Why I love craft beers. There are IPAs, Ales, Porters, Stouts... Bourbon Barrel, Oak Aged, Cask... And each brewer takes their own approach to their product. There's no right or wrong way to make beer.. And even with all of the combinations and collaborations that exist, there are still a limitless amount of new styles yet to be discovered. If you have an idea, you have a new beer. It never ends!! And I love that.

And when you look pass the beer, you start learning about WHERE it's brewed and WHO is the brew-mastermind behind it. And this, THIS I feel is the underlying reasoning why I love not only the idea, but the MOVEMENT of craft beers. Beyond the taste, beyond the quality... is the dream. Most of us have heard a classic tale or two along the lines of our ancestors coming over to seek out a NEW life in America. No certainty, no guarantee, just a chance... A chance to make a difference for their family. Along with some perseverance, hard work, dedication and a little bit of luck, they made their dreams happen.

So now, ask yourself... Look at the similarities. A person has a dream about brewing beer the way THEY want to brew beer. No financial backing, no promises... just a hope and a dream. Take Dogfish for example... we got there on last Thursday (thanks to Big Mama and Kristin for getting our group on the tour!!). Our tour guide Kristin told us about how Brewmaster, Sam Calagione and two other friends worked 14 hour shifts just to get their idea off the ground. They would rotate on and off so if someone wasn't brewing, they were sleeping. Day and Night. And now, Dogfish Head beer is one of the LEADING microbrewers in the US. Then a few days later, I met Hugh Sisson, mastermind and beerly dedicated to the Heavy Seas line (formally known as Clipper City). While I can describe as best I can, you have to see this guy in action to see his passion. Trust me, He Loves Beer. He gives countless tours to group after group... Booooring, right? Not when you are doing something that you LOVE. You would have thought that he was giving his FIRST tour for us. Lively, spirited... It was awesome! Hearing him describe how to simply pour a beer or listening to him describe what goes into making their flagship beer Loose Cannon (Hop Cubed), was a treat. When you see what these people are putting into their beers, you WANT to support the cause.

We drank some exception beers during this trip. The Dogfish brewery tour ended with a tasting of the Shelter Pale Ale, 60 min, 90 min and 120 min... all on draft. (Note: the tap handle for the 120 min was a Pimp cane. Basically because at 18-20% ABV, this beer makes you its... @#$%@#%.) At Heavy Seas we had the Thank You, Thank You Very Much Anniversary Ale (Imperial IPA), Marzen, Loose Cannon and Hang Ten (Weizen Doppelbock) on draft. Hugh was nice enough to hang out with us after the tour and thanked us for making the trip! How cool is that!?

So the next time you're picking up some beer, think twice about WHAT you're buying. Stay away from the big dogs, because there are so many BETTER options our there. And isn't it a good feeling that not only are you going to spend your money smarter, but by simply by purchasing a microbrew, you are also supporting the American Dream.

PASSION. DEDICATION. DETERMINATION. DRIVE. (a little bit of crazy)...

...(sorry Budweiser), but THAT is beer.

All in the name of Research.

2011-07-14T20:13:00.002-04:00

Checking both the Dogfish brewery and brew pub off of my craft beer bucket list. Special thanks to Big Mama and Kristin for making it happen!

Not Hooked on Thomas Hooker’s Watermelon Ale

2011-07-12T16:03:00.004-04:00

Style | ABV
American Blonde Ale | 4.50% ABV

My personal opinion: The only time beer and watermelon should play together is when you are enjoying them separately at a picnic.

Thomas, I wanted to like your watermelon ale. You hail from the “Constitution State” and my former residence in good ole’ Connecticut, but I could not get on board with this freshman beverage.

I think this could be a great gateway beer for a first-timer trying to transition off wine coolers and Smirnoff Ices. I say this because it tasted like juice.

I have to ask, “Where’s the BEER?”

I sampled the watermelon ale on draught at Mike’s in Davis Square. Mike’s serves beer in the largest plastic cups I have ever seen. You need two hands and focus to lift these pints and the best part is, they are only $8. If you are on a budget and like to drink and sit outside – go.

I borrowed my friends drink. I was prejudice going into it and didn’t want to commit to a large beer that tastes like candy. I was happy with my decision.

The Thomas Hooker Watermelon Ale had a nice foamy head and held lace to the cup for quite some time. The color is golden and clear. Surprisingly, there was no rosy hue to speak of. The nose is straight up Jolly Rancher, holy sweetness. There was no smell of grains, hops, or malts - nothing beer related at all. Yikes.

Thankfully, the beer was not that sweet to taste, but it wasn’t good either.

I was surprised after the first sip. It’s a light, well carbonated beer and mouth feel is crisp and refreshing. I didn’t dislike it right away.

I stole a few more sips from my friend’s beer to really get a handle on the taste. I found that it’s slightly tart and the artificial watermelon flavor and sweetness hits your tongue all in the front. After that it’s watery and finishes like a bud light. By the fifth sip I had enough. I could drink this beer if I had to, but I wouldn’t be excited about it.

For me it was a flop. Grade: D

My friend however, who has a much sweeter palate than me, was overjoyed with the beer and ordered another one so, to each her own!

Has anyone had a watermelon ale they like? I would love suggestions.
Cheers everyone – Happy Tuesday!

Red, White, and Smashed Blueberry

2011-07-04T09:29:00.004-04:00

"...And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: "We will not go quietly into the night!" We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"

Shipyard Smashed Blueberry (Pugsley's Signature Series)
Brewery: Shipyard (Portland, ME)
Style: Fruit / Porter / Scotch Ale
ABV: 9.0%

Nothing says "Happy Birthday America" than a cold beer on a hot day. So when I heard my sister was coming down to visit with her family, I asked her if she could bring some Smashed Blueberry, the latest offering from Shipyard Brewery. I've been looking all over the place around here... everyone is sold out. "Can't keep it on the shelves!" they tell me.

So my sister Care walks in the door and says, "They were sold out at the local packy up there..." Apparently, THEY can't keep it on the shelves either! (But she did bring down some excellent local summer brews up there... Geary's and Gritty's!)

Ok, now my interest is PEAKED. Granted, I understand that it was a limited release, but not being able to get it only 20 minutes outside of Portland?!

Then, totally unsuspecting, my girlfriend and I walked into a package store down in Danbury, which had a good selection of bombers... and VOILA! There it is, SMASHED BLUEBERRY!!! Two bottles please and thank you.

On the eve of the 4th, we opened up the highly sought-after bottle. We were instantly reminded that this ain't your normal blueberry summer brew... in fact, I can't really put it in the summer brew category if it wasn't for the blueberry. Coming straight out of the Porter family, this beer is DARK with about a finger and a half of khaki colored head. Interestingly enough, when you held the beer up to the light, the darkness had a purple/red hue to it... like a blueberry skin. Getting my nose in there, I got dark chocolate, bitter coffee, roastiness and a very very slight hint of blueberry. The taste followed suit... My girlfriend, Michelle said it reminded her of eating dark-chocolate covered blueberries... I got some black licorice notes in there as well, with more of the bittersweet chocolate hints.

The mouthfeel follows the characteristics of a solid porter... nice malt qualities, as you can see by the good head retention along the sides of the glass. Decent carbonation and subtle booziness. The scotch ale is most present here if you ask me. The finish had a dry bitter-hoppiness to it, which I do enjoy. But overall it didn't really stick with you.

Overall: B+

It was good, not great. But I think back to the first Smashed Pumpkin I had from Shipyard about two years ago. Heavy alcohol and almost a medicinal taste to it. But with some tweaks in the recipe, it has slowly become one of my FAVORITE pumpkin ales to date. So, I applaud the "outside the box" approach from the Shipyard brewers. Who would even think to combine a Porter, a Scotch Ale, and a Blueberry Ale?? (Sounds like the beginning of a joke...) This is a good start. But as difficult as it was to find, and $10 for the bomber, I won't be getting it again this season.

Happy 4th EVERYONE!!

NEW LAYOUT!!! I'm so excited to release our new Beer411 format. In addition to our Beer411 community that continues to grow, I encourage you to share your favorite blog entries on facebook, twitter, and other social media sites! I've also added our twitter accounts on the right had side of the page... and if you want email updates on WHEN we post, feel free to submit your email too!! Great things are happening at Beer411 and its all because of you guys!! Lastly, we would LOVE to hear from you... so if you have a post that you'd like to share, LET US KNOW!! And as always, thanks for stopping by Beer411!!!

Sugar, Oh’ honey, honey ….

2011-07-01T14:48:00.001-04:00

Rapscallion Honey Wheat
Style | ABV
American Pale Ale (APA) | 4.50% ABV

This is my new favorite go-to-brew and it has replaced Magic Hat #9 in my heart.

The best part about this beer is that since it’s is brewed in Holyoke, Mass., I can find it on tap at almost any decent beer bar in the city and it’s not seasonal, so I can drink it year round. That said, I think this sud is PERFECT for the summer.

This is the only offering I have had from Rapscallion and I am looking to get my hands on their other beers soon.

I was out at Stoddards Fine Food & Ale in the theatre district to celebrate Drink Craft Beer’s 5th anniversary. The bash brought together, what seemed like more than 200 beer lovers to raise money for cancer through PINTS for prostates. The free apps were flowing and so was the beer.

While Stoddards is a great place to get your hands on something new and exciting, the bar was jammed and it just so happened that the tap right in front of me was my new standby – I took it as fate and I ordered it.

She pours slightly hazy golden with little to no head. This beer is so well carbonated that the bubbles don’t allow for much of a froth. The nose is wildflowers, sweet honey and a little grassy. Don’t let the ‘honey’ in the name fool you – this beer is not overly sweet.

The mouthfeel is crisp and fizzy. The bubbles get all over your mouth like seltzer water and zests up to your nose. This pale ale has the right balance of hops for my palate with a fresh taste of wheat, honey, tea and a fruity finish. It is very drinkable and refreshing and pairs well with most pub food. At 4.50 % ABV, it’s ok to order more than just one.

Grade: A

Try it this weekend.
Have a happy and safe 4th everyone - salud!

Welcome to the 'MAINE' Event!!

2011-06-22T13:33:00.007-04:00

Allagash Curieux
Brewery: Allagash (Portland, ME)
Style: Belgian-style Tripel
ABV: 11.0%

If you ever find yourself driving up North on I-95 to the state of Maine, you'll notice a unique tagline on the Welcome sign that reads, "Maine... the way life should be." Clearly, the peeps over at Allagash made this their mantra when they created the deliciousness that is Curieux. You have all different types of beer in this world... and ultimately, what are we searching for? For a beer that puts a smile on your face. A little boozy, full of flavor, maybe a little bitter, or sweet, or hoppy... whatever your poison is. And this beer, well frankly... is the way BEER should be.

...and at 11% ABV, you can't have too many. So put on your big boy pants and saddle up to the bar.

My girlfriend and I were on our way to see a show at the Warner Studio Theatre in Torrington, when we realized that we made GREAT time driving from North Haven. So, to reward ourselves, we grabbed a delicious offering from the people over at BACKSTAGE.

On a side note: If any CT Beer Heads find themselves in the Northwest corner of our fine Constitution State, swing by the Backstage in Torrington. They have 20(?) rotating taps, have held (2) tap takeovers, one from Harpoon, one from Hooker, and have been bringing in some really tasty brews over the past few months. Flying Dog's Raging Bitch, Stone's Oaked Aged Arrogant Bastard, Victory Storm King, Dogfish's 90 min...

Ok, back on track here. So Michelle and I sit up at the bar and what's staring at me in the face, Allagash Curieux. This is Michelle's FAVORITE beer too... and I can't recall ever finding it on tap, EVER.

Poured in a snifter, the color was a dark orange with a good amount of fluffy white head, about 1-2 fingers worth. The nose on this beer is HUGE. To go along with the color, it had a orange/honey notes... I also got some clove and some other fruity characteristics (banana?). I'm also getting some vanilla and some toasted coconut in there as well (did I mention this had a HUGE noise to it?). In addition to all of these smells, the Curieux is also aged in Jim Beam Bourbon barrels. So I'm also getting some strong oak and booziness as well.

Things that make you go, Mmmmmmmm.

The taste is just as big as the nose. Creamy vanilla and toasted coconut right off the bat, with some fruity qualities in the middle and some oak and boozy notes on the finish. For 11.0%, this beer isn't as powerful as you might think, but don't let all these flavors hide the fact that one too many could end your night pretty quickly. The flavors are huge... I don't know if I would even pair this up with anything since it stands so strongly on its own. But if I had to pick something, perhaps this would go well with a light dessert like a creme brulee or rice pudding. Something sweet, but not too sweet... let the Curieux do the rest of the work for you.

What can I say overall... I think this is my biggest review to date. Fantastic beer, but unfortunately, extremely rare. Luckily, they JUST tapped this keg the day before so hopefully my friends and I can continue to enjoy the fruits of Allagash's labor for the next few weeks. If you're out, and you find this on tap, and you're a lover of craft beer, look no further than the Curieux.

Overall: A+

In addition to your regularly scheduled beer review... and going on the MAINE theme, I also wanted to direct any of you readers to another FANTASTIC story coming out of the state of Maine. Ok, ok... I'm bias because it IS my sister, but what the heck, a brother can be proud of his sister, can't he?

I recently discovered that my sister, Carey, who hails from Saco, ME, was just named MRS. SACO!!! But WAIT, there's MORE! AAAAAnd I recently found out that with the support of her husband, Mike... She is NOW going for the title of Mrs. Maine!! Go Care Go!!! So if you have a moment, check out her link below as she blogs her way to the Mrs. Maine Pageant...

Happy Friday everyone!!

Longest Day of the Year Deserves a Good Beer - Cisco Grey Lady

2011-06-21T18:00:00.005-04:00

Cisco Grey Lady
4.50% ABV

On the official first day of summer I am drinking the Cisco Grey Lady AND I think I am in love.

The Belgian White (Witbier) beer from Nantucket, Mass., got beat up in ratings on Beer Advocate and Rate Beer, scoring Cs and Ds from the masses. They called her “boring, flat and weak” … WHAT?!

Well, I am the beer drinker who will fight for her honor.

She came to me on tap, pouring hazy and yellow with a thin white head. The nose is zesty with lemon/orange and cardamom notes and the mouth feel is light, refreshing, well carbonated and delicious. She finishes slightly dry and tart, with bright citrus flavors. It's a thirst quencher and while I am not a purist, I do enjoy a citrus wedge from time to time in my pint - no accessories are needed here. The flavor stands on it's own.

I am very happy with this little lady and plan to invite her out more often.

I paired the beer with a Mediterranean platter from The Foundry in Davis Square, which comes with fresh hummus, warm pita bread, homemade tabbouleh and lemony olives. Consider my evening made. If you haven't been to The Foundry they have a great rotating beer list that pays homage to local breweries and houses some great craft selections. The food also never disapoints.

If you are kicking it at home and are looking for something easy to throw together, I would say a gooey brie or gruyere would go nicely as well. No need to turn on the oven or sweat over the grill.

So, if you need a date on a hot summer night - I say give the Grey Lady a call. She’s the perfect woman and gets a solid A from me.

Harpoon's Rich and Dan's "Rye-d" On The Money

2011-06-20T12:21:00.008-04:00

Harpoon Rich & Dan's Rye IPA (100 Barrel Series #37)
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Style: Rye IPA
IBU: 54
ABV: 6.9%

I'll be honest. About 8 years ago, I HATED hoppy beers. Just give me a nice Coors Light or Killians and let me be. That was my beverage of choice. I can remember hanging out at my friend Ian's apt back in the day and he breaks out a Dogfish 90 min IPA. He insisted that I would love this so being the good friend, I jumped into the pool, no questions asked. After a few sips, I told him, "No thanks man!" and happily went back to my sub par cold-activated beverage with no taste.

Thank GOODNESS, times have changed since then.

Through the years I started trying beer with hops... then some varieties with a little MORE hops... now, there isn't a beer out there that has ENOUGH hops! So now that my mind is TOTALLY open to micros and almost, if not completely, closed off to the macro brew population, in a way, I owe it to my friend Ian for introducing me into the world of deliciousness, ...and for introducing me into a world that makes me spend silly amounts of $$$ on beer. Thanks a LOT! Jerk.

A few years ago, when I just started talking to this girl, Michelle (whom is now my lovely girlfriend of 3 years and going strong...) she told me to stop by her restaurant where they specialized in amazing burgers, bourbon, and you guessed it, BEER! I was a total hop head at this point, so she tells me about this one that they have on tap that I'll like called Boulder Beer Company's Mojo Risen. It was FANTASTIC, but admittedly, not for everyone, especially those that are just opening their minds to the wonderful world of hops.

So it seemed ONLY appropriate to ask Michelle to help me out with this week's Beer411 review, Harpoon Rich & Dan's Rye IPA. At only 54 IBUs, this is a nice introduction to IPAs. I really like what Harpoon is doing with their 100 Barrel Series, too. To celebrate their 25 years of the company, they're asking their own brewers to come up with their own recipes. Revisiting their brewing roots so-to-speak...

Ok, enough banter, let's jump into the pool.

This beer pours and nice golden color with about 1 inch of nice fluffy white head to it. Once we held it up to the light, Michelle pointed out that in addition to the golden color, the beer had almost a orange hue to it. As we soon discovered, this beer would have a WHOLE LOTTA orange going on.

It had a nice lacing along the sides of the glass and didn't seem all that watered down. Given that this is a Rye IPA, the were evident rye/bready smell. Following the orange theme, this beer had a strong citrus nose to it (grapefruit/orange). The hops also gave this beer a pine/grassy essence to it. But, one can only get so much from the nose... drinkin' time.

Bitterness is right up front... but what's nice about this offering is how it disappears so quickly. The taste follows suit with the orange hue and orange smells. The mouthfeel is that of an orange peel with mild grapefruit notes to it. The finish as I mentioned, is nice and dry and goes away before really impacting your taste buds into a downward spiral. A nice easy drinking IPA, but FULL of flavor.

As I said before, this beer is a solid, "gateway" beer into the Hop World. Call it a "Hop-Head-in-Training". Given the bitterness, Michelle thought that this would pair nicely with some sweet potato fries or a burger with some bacon (Man, I love this woman). I could see this beer going very well with some carmelized onions, or onion rings with a sweet dipping sauce.

Overall: Michelle A-, Tony B+. We both really liked this beer... but I do like the hops to linger a little more while Michelle liked that it had a dry finish.

...In other Beer411 news...

I love how the beer world brings us all together... I'd like to give a quick shout out to our friends Mike, Toby and Chris over at the Beercoasters Podcast. If you aren't sure what kind of beers you might like in the vast world of delicious beverages, allow these gentlemen to be your tour guides. With insight from Las Vegas, Boston and Texas, these guys do a great job covering the Beer World. Give them a listen if you have a chance!!

I'd also like to say hello to our new friends on the CT Beer Trail. I don't know how we got by without this website... It's basically the love child of Beer and Facebook. Brew Sessions, new releases, local Beer news... great place to learn about the local craft beer scene.

Alright... have a great week from Beer411!! Cheers!!

Next review(s): New England's Brewing Company, "668 Neighbor of the Beast" & "Allegash's Curieux" - STAY TUNED!!

Another way to get your Wheaties: Wolaver’s Wildflower Wheat

2011-06-15T15:49:00.004-04:00

I visited Otter Creek in the winter while touring breweries in Vermont and left with two growlers. It was by far my favorite brewery tour in the “Freedom and Unity state,” and the building also sits right next to the Cabot cheese factory. Talk about great aromatics. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly and the tasting room also offers free popcorn, brilliant.

Needless to say, I am already a fan of what they can do - so when I plunked down on the patio at the Precinct in Somerville, and saw that their new summer ale, Wildflower Wheat was listed on draught I ordered it without hesitation.

The server brings it over to the table and it looks like the tap lines haven’t been cleaned in years. This beer is murky; but it’s cloudy, yellow color wasn’t enough to deter be from throwing it down the hatch … this is all in the name of research after all.

The smell is sweet and spicy; like honey, cinnamon, molasses and flower blossoms and the taste followed suit. It’s as if you blended a cider and hefeweizen together. It’s interesting that this was released as summer ale, because it reminds me of the fall season.

I tasted a lot of pumpkin, malt and clove. Perhaps they are looking to appeal to their pumpkin fans and blend it into the summer drinking season? Either way, this is a heavy, rich and filling pint. My friend took a sip and stated, “It’s delicious, but it’s like a whole meal.” Enter wheat from stage left.

While it WAS a delicious (I am a HUGE fan of pumpkin ales) it was a hot day and I wanted something lighter and more palatable. I didn’t order another one. For that I grade it with a B.

I hope they extend this batch through the fall season so I can enjoy it on a cooler October night.

Keep em’ coming Wolaver’s, I always enjoy what you do.

Cape Ann Brewing Company Gives Beer the Spa Treatment

2011-06-13T12:03:00.002-04:00

Have you ever gone into a spa or a new age health restaurant and had water served with cucumbers floating in it? (Boys stay with me I will get to the beer soon) Cucumber, with its earthy, refreshing crunch, improves the taste of tap water and spa aficionados use it improve the look of your skin.

Well color me happy when I was at the American Craft Beer Festival and saw that the Cape Ann Brewing Company launched a “Pick Ale,” infused with cucumber. Does this mean I can sip down a refreshing brew and fight wrinkles at the same time?

Well health benefits aside, I would drink this beer anyway. I am often weary of creative brews like these; they seem more like PR stunts than well-balanced drinkable suds, (side eye to the ‘Pickle Ale’ I also tried at the festival – blech and dump) This was refreshing and different.

The beer itself was golden in color and smelled like a garden. The taste was subtle and crisp, with a hint of salt. The cucumber flavor peaked out just enough. Appropriately named the Pick Ale, I can definitely see this enjoyed at a picnic on a hot summer day washing down some burgers and dogs.

I rate this an A –
It’s a great thing when creativity and science come together to produce a great craft beer. I am excited to head to Gloucester soon and check out the menu and see what else is on tap.

Road trip?
Cape Ann Brewing Company
11 Rogers Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
www.capeannbrewing.com
@capeannbrewing

Opa-Opa Raspberry Wheat

2011-05-04T19:49:00.005-04:00

Finally a fruity beer that doesn’t drink like a girly one!

Normally when I reach for summer beers, aside from the blueberry variety, I go straight up. I find that when you put fruit into beer the sugar level is insane. I feel my teeth fuzzing over and my cheeks puckering before I get through half a pint. Immediatley regretful about my drink selection, I start looking around to see what else is in the cooler.

The Opa-Opa Raspberry Wheat beer pours slightly blush and the nose is subtle. You can smell the fresh berries, but I am also getting wafts of the wheat and grains which is nice. This also calmed my fears about the $7 I dropped on a growler.
This is the other exciting thing: My liquor store carries growlers from a variety of local breweries so I am drinking this baby fresh from the tap.

The taste is crisp and refreshing, slightly tart – but not over the top. It’s perfect for a barbeque or on a hot day and a definite palate pleaser (for the boyz too). I am shocked for a wheat beer that it is incredibly light and drinkable. My only gripe is that all the flavor is in front, no staying power. It finishes like a Miller Lite. Hard to explain.

Still, I am grading this with an A-

I think this would be a really cool brew to bring to a gathering for your friends to try, it's something new from the standard summer varieties, and ladies I would suggest floating some frozen raspberries in the glass to wow the girls.

Let the summer drinking season begin!
Salud everyone (ANNNND go Bruins!)

Blueberry is the new Pumpkin

2011-05-03T13:40:00.004-04:00

Ok, so that's a lie.

NOTHING will replace the awesome abbreviated season that is Pumpkin Beer season in Aug/Sept/Oct. But this new Shipyard Brewing Company offering gets me excited.

In only their second year, Shipyard's Smashed Pumpking went from something new to something to find. I heard about it last year and low and behold found a small packy up in New Hampshire that carried it. Big alcohol taste up front, big nose, decent pumpkin throughout... overall decent in their first attempt. The following year, my friends and I conducted a blind pumpkin beer tasting... consisting of 10 different varieties. Admittedly, my tastebuds were a bit tired after all of the "research", and our system could definitely use some tweaking... but nevertheless, Shipyard's Smashed Pumpkin ended up in most of the tasters top 3.

Enter new offering stage right... introducing Shipyard's Smashed Blueberry. As the article below points out, it joined a small list of offerings from Shipyard's Signature series, all of which have received awards here and there.

This beer clearly is a "sit down and drink this" sorta brew. You don't grab a sixer with your friends and play wiffleball in the backyard. And while I don't really gravitate towards fruity beers, I do love me some Blueberry beer... ideally out of the draft (Seadog Blue Paw) with frozen blueberries in there. (I know I know, beer purists are probably saying, "Don't Fruit the Beer." Yeah well you know what? This is Kate and I's blog, SO YOU WILL READ EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO SAY!). Haha... Along the lines of the "summer time" beer theme, its also worth pointing out that this going to be more on the heavier side. As I mentioned earlier, you aren't grabbing a six pack and going to town, this beer not only has a high ABV% at 9%, but Shipyard writes that is a mix btw a Porter and a Scotch Ale... "Rich mouth feel and a body of complex intensity"... "This beer pairs well with glazed duck, ribs, barbeque, chocolate, and blueberry deserts."

Expect a full review if I can get my hands on this... would be even better if I could find this on tap! We'll see if it makes the trip from Portland, ME.

Source:
http://mainebusiness.mainetoday.com/newsdirect/release.html?id=9883

400 Beers one Location

2011-04-28T11:16:00.001-04:00

That’s right folks, the 4th annual American Craft Beer Fest is back and pouring more than 100 American brewers and 400 sudsy delights to wrap your lips around.

It’s kicking off at the Seaport World Trade Center on Friday, June 3 and Saturday, June 4 and this blogger is going to be there, notebook in hand, doing the dirty work for those who can’t make the trek.

$45 gets you through the door to the magical candyland of hops and malts and the website reminds us - No children or pets. Respect Beer.

Will we see you there?

Ticket info: http://www.ticketalternative.com/Events/13455.aspx

Spring Beer in the City

2011-04-27T22:50:00.007-04:00

Peak Organic Simcoe Spring
5.40% ABV

*DISCLAIMER: Enter the non-hop-head to weigh in on a spring beer, known for its hoppiness …

Recently I have been warming to IPAs and stronger hop brews, but they have to be balanced. I don’t like my palate to be blown after one beer or to fill me up too quickly. Basically I love beer, so I like to drink a lot of it. Beers that allow me to do that while still tasting great are a part of this quest called Beer411.

This past weekend my fellow blogger and I were in NYC together and ordered a pint of the Peak Organic Simcoe Spring on draft. We sniffed, we sipped and basically came to the same conclusion, “ehh – so what?” (Add in anything I miss below cuz)

Not much to report on the nose, a little grassy, a little citrus. Which is why I was so surprised by my first sip - I got bowled over with malts. This beer has a really crisp, sharp taste which may be due to the organic barley and hops. The flavor hits you right from the top and then … that’s it, nothing lingering or really satisfying about it. We got some cherry and vanilla peeking through but nothing standing out enough to make us order another round.

Grade C+

I say keep it moving and save your five spot for something better, or in this case we were out $7 each -- OUCH!! Just another reason Boston is better than NYC.

The good news is summer ales are creeping in, bring on the hefeweizen.

Don’t agree with us? Tell us below.

New Beer "Raises the Bar"

2011-04-20T12:36:00.003-04:00

I know, I know... why haven't I called... it's been months since we last spoke, and well, frankly, I don't have a good reason why I've been so distant. It's not you... it's me. Life gets in the way of posting from time to time and I certainly I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me...

I'm not going to kick this off with a big review of any kind. Yes, my cousin and I started this blog to inform all those that are thirsty all about the Wonderful World of Malty Beverages. Normally, we write reviews from things that we've tried, or look forward to trying... but I also look to this blog to help spread the word... to point out things that might catch my eye that I feel people out there would enjoy reading...

And when I came across this on good ol' Facebook, I laughed OUT loud. If I needed an excuse to call up the blog... this is it.

I've written about BrewDog before... just a bunch of guys that I would love to meet someday. I've posted some of their querky videos and talked about there drive to always push the envelope of beer. For example, their quest to make the strongest beer in the world. CHECK.... well, this is also a first...

In honor of the upcoming royal wedding... presenting BrewDog's Royal Virility Performance... as they put it, Celebrating the Royal Wedding 'Big Willy Style'. A funny name... but what's the deal??

This 7.5% ABV IPA beverage contains:
-Chocolate
-Horny Goat Weed
-‘a healthy dose of sarcasm’

...and Viagra. Yes... Viagra! HAHA!!! If you have moment... please read their blog below.

It feels good to be back... hope to write more soon!!

-Beer411

Source:
http://www.brewdog.com/blog-article/royal-virility-performance-celebrating-the-royal-wedding-big-willy-style

If being thankful for BEER is WRONG, I don't want to be RIGHT.

2010-11-25T10:53:00.004-05:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING BEER LOVERS OF THE WORLD!!!

Last night I had a few Sammy Winter Lagers while watching the UConn game (2010 Maui Invitation CHAMPS!!!) and it got me thinking. Between the tasty beer I've had this week and UConn taking the title last night... I have a lot to be thankful for. AND THAT'S THIS WEEK ALONE!!!

My fellow beer connoisseur, Ian and I were watching TV the other night and decided to jump into a little impromptu Merry Christmas Happy New Year Ale from Anchor Steam. Earlier in the day I picked up the 2010 while he had the 2009 AND 2008 still left in his fridge. I have to say VERY interesting results as we tasted each year.

2008 - Emphasis on the dark fruit this year. Smells consist of figs and cloves. Medium malt mouthfeel, and nice finish.

2009 - Focus was the malts in my opinion. Lighter on the spices and smooth finish.

2010 - Heavy spice!! Huge noise. It has almost a medicine taste to it... maybe it still needs to settle and mellow out.

Overall, I LOVE this variety... but after our tasting, I'm not in a hurry to pick up another 6 pack. Slightly disappointing... but again, perhaps it just needs to mellow out a bit. But then again, if I go out and get a holiday brew, I want to drink it now! Not wait!

What are you thankful for this year...?

BIG PROPS to the people over at Sammy Adams this holiday season... whoever decided to axe the Sam Adams Light and Cranberry Lambic only to REPLACE it with the White Ale and Chocolate Bock deserves a substantial salary increase! For those that haven't partook(?) this holiday season yet... let me enlighten you of the 6 beers Sam Adams included in this year's WINTER CLASSICS:
-Boston Lager
-White Ale
-Ole Fezziwig
-Winter Lager
-Holiday Porter
-Chocolate Bock

It seriously has everything I love about Sam Adams. I could take or leave the Holiday Porter, but it bridges a nice gap btw the Winter and the Chocolate.

Other things I'm thankful/excited for... Heavy Seas has announced TWO new beer offerings. The Black IPA and the Thank You, Thank You Very Much Beer (see above). They are embarking on their 15th year as a brewery...

So from all of us (Kate and I) to all of you... HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM BEER411!!!

Let us know what YOU'RE thankful for this year!! Outside reviews are strongly encouraged!!

-Tony

Bartender, two geese please

2010-05-14T19:10:00.003-04:00

Goose Island Honkers Ale
Chicago, Illinois
Style: English Style Bitter
Alcohol by Volume: 4.2%

The tap is what pulled me in, a GIANT goose head looking at me. I thought to myself is Aflac making beer now? …

Brewed in Chicago, I was curious. My friend joined along in my journey tasting this new-to-me beer.

I was very happy with this ale. It was crisp, refreshing, citrusy and very drinkable. Perfect for a BBQ to switch up the normal summer ales and hefs that can make you feel full. Further research on the Goose Island website said that the Honker Ale matches perfectly with cheddar – light bulb!

My gal pal and I shared some gooey-cheesy nachos that night with these drinks and were quite content.

I was shocked when another player in our group tried it and said it tasted like fruit loops. On the sweetness scale I would say this beer scored low. It was toasty with light pale malts and a zing of tartness.

Each taste bud to his/or/her own of course, but if you are at a bar and a big goose is starring you down, I say go for it.

Two more geese please …

A long time ago... (pt 2.)

2010-05-03T15:24:00.010-04:00

Brewing Company: New England Brewing Co.
Style: Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout
Size: 12 oz.
ABV: n/a

I've never been to a beer release before... I've had all kinds of limited beer varities, some that were good and others that I definitely would not pay for again. Fast-forward to two weeks ago... so I'm told 700 bottles of the Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout Trooper would be sold at the New England Brewing Company; limit being 2 per customer @ $15 per bottle. I have no idea what to expect...

...on one side, I feel like there are only a handful of people who actively pursue tasty alcoholic beverages like I do. So there MIGHT be 100 people at this release. On the other hand, are there really 350 intense beer drinkers in the area that would wait in line for such a thing? 8am?? Really... Really??? I'll take my chances and show up around Noon. And I guess if worst came to worst, they would at least have the Gandhi Bot DIPA on tap so it wouldn't be a wasted trip.

Not sure how long these people waited in line... but we timed it just right in my opinion. There were about 75-100 people ahead of us. And you could see that there were a few individuals that waited in line, bought their (2) bottles, then got right back in line for (2) more. Frankly, I don't have the money to spend on 6-8 bottles @ $15 a pop. Honestly, I had to convince myself to buy (2) as it was! So my buddy John, his son Dan and I waited in line... it only took us about 30 minutes to get up to the front. John and I each picked up two bottles of the Stout Trooper and a growler of Gandhi Bot. John picked up a Scotch Ale as well which we have yet to try... I decided that with my two bottles, I'll try one in the next few weeks, then store the other one and let it age a few months. All in all, a successful day!

(On a side note... I have NO idea what the boys at NEB were thinking when it came to entertainment. There was some sort of freak talent show going on... Weird.)

I decided against posting the old Stout Trooper label... JUST in case George Lucas caught wind of the Beer411 blog. (Haha.) Needless to say, the boys at NEB did not break the bank on the new label design. At least they got to keep the name! (for now!) My guess is that they put their efforts into the booze... and boy did they ever.

It pours extremely black with a dark brown head on top. The lacing is very nice on the side of the glass, gearing up my taste buds for what looks like a creamy/malty flavor....

Smells off the top give you your usual stout characteristics: dark fruit, black coffee, dark chocolate. There's a booziness to this beer as well, most likely from the aging process which is also why we do not know the ABV. The wood used to age this beer must have also given it some oak/vanilla qualities. You get a subtle coconut flavoring in addition to everything else going on...

The taste is excellent. Off the front you get your dark chocolate/bitter coffee flavors. The lacing that we saw on the sides of the glass back up the sweet malts. Then my taste buds got a dose of the bourbon aging and the woody qualities that we picked up from the smells. And although we only got a little sample of this brew the other day, the stickiness stays with you long after.

Overall, I'm not gonna lie - this beer was $$$ and maybe its my mindset right now but $15 on something like this can't be sampled every weekend. But if you have a chance to pick up a bottle and there's a special occasion coming up and you have a little extra in this week's paycheck... go for it. The beer is, like I put earlier, Fantastic. But $15 for a 12 oz? Ouch... Kinda hard to rationalize that one.

Final Grade: B+ (Fantastic beer... but expensive.)

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....

2010-04-23T12:43:00.005-04:00

Actually, it's more like "Coming up this weekend, in a brewery close, close to home..." Anyway, I just wanted to post a little "what I'm looking forward to this weekend" note... and for you CT locals, perhaps this will be a heads up for any of you beer geeks out there that haven't heard.

This weekend I'm planning on taking a little trip to the New England Brewing Company in Woodbridge, CT. (You mean, there's a brewery in Woodbridge??) I know, I asked myself the same thing. Several months ago, I learned of a beer growing in popularity that was just on the brink of breaking into BeerAdvocate's Top 100. And if the name alone, didn't reel you in, the label and taste certainly would. I admit, I bought it because of the name, but also because it came highly recommended. So I used the force and picked up a bottle for New Years Eve and shared it with my friends.

NEB's Imperial Stout Trooper... fantastic. (And currently resides as #94 on BeerAdvocate's Top 100).

Fast-forward to the present... this weekend they are releasing the highly anticipated Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout Trooper. Unfortunately, since it's growth in popularity, George Lucas did not take kindly to his Storm Trooper on the label. Apparently, they can continue to brew the beer, they just can't use the same label. Then there's talk of if NEB will be allowed to keep the name... I don't know. I'll find out more this weekend I'm sure. But for those brave few that are coming to Woodbridge this weekend... here are the details from NEB's site:

Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout Trooper Release: This Saturday- April 24th. 700 bottles (500ml) 2 bottle limit per person @ $15 each. Tickets will be handed out at 9am first come first served. Your ticket will guarantee you 2 bottles to purchase at noon. Any leftover bottles will be for sale after all ticket holders have their bottles.

I don't think I'll be in line at 9am... but maybe around 11am or so. We'll see.

BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE!!!

So after looking into the details of this weekend's release, I start hearing more and more about this Double IPA that will also be available:

My friend Bill over at Southington Wine and Spirits simply cannot keep this on the shelf its going so quickly. So this weekend, I not only hope to pick up a bottle or two of the Stout Trooper.. but also hope to snag a growler of this Gandhi-Bot Double IPA. BA's ratings have people consistently giving this brew an A+. Sounds like something I need to look into...

So whatever you're drinking this weekend... be safe, have fun, enjoy. For all you UConners, enjoy your Spring Weekend, too!!

So you think you know beer?

2010-04-16T12:32:00.003-04:00

Brewing Company: Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Black IPA
Size: 22 fl oz.
ABV: 8.7%
IBU: 90

I love beer. I do... and when the time comes, I definitely hope to join the ranks of my fellow homebrewers so I can begin tasting the fruits of my labor. But expenses being what they are, and the space of my apartment being the on smaller side, I can't exactly set up shop yet. So in the meantime... I continue to research and appreciate.

Which brings me to yet another Stone Brew offering... the Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale.

I consider myself somewhat educated when it comes to beer, but I also know that I will never ever stop learning about new creations and infinite brewtastic combinations. Just the other day, I blogged about Stone and BrewDog collaborating on a Golden Stout. Crazy.

BeerAdvocate categorized this beer as a "Strong American Ale". Yes... I agree. But what does that mean really. Strong (High ABV), American (Origin), Ale (Middle of the road beer... not bitter, not hoppy, not light, not dark). BA gives this as their description:

Catch all style category for beers from 7.0 percent alcohol by volume and above. Some may even be as high as 25% abv. Characteristics will greatly vary; some have similarities to Barley-wines and Old Ales. Barrel aging is certainly not out of the question.

With the amount of combinations, you could really create several more categories within the Strong American Ale heading. I'd like to nominate a NEW category, particularly for said offering; Black IPA. When you pour this beer, it appears to be a light black or dark brown with light tan head. From sight alone your taste buds are setting up for a heavy beer - dark associates with porters, stouts, etc... But, all the things you've learned about "dark" beers will turn your mind 180 degrees. The smells from this beer have very little hints of the chocolate, coffee, and caramel. But the domination is clear once you get a noseful of grapefruit/citrus aromas, piney hops (Chinook?), and some floral.

Hellllllllllo IPA.

One of my favorite descriptions on BeerAdvocate is someone referring to the taste of this beer as a "malty fist fight". Awesome. The tastes of this beer follow that of your nose with strong citrus and piney hops. Also apparent are the creamy malts. But what's unique about this beer is that while it starts with the hoppiness that you expect from an IPA, it finishes with just the right delicate chocolate/coffee bitterness. There is also a nice carbonation factor happening here. Overall, it has a nice dryness in the end too.

A beer that pours a dark brown, smells of citrus, tastes of hoppy goodness, and finishes with light chocolate/coffee... Moral of the story, don't judge a beer by its color.

Final Grade: A-

An Itch that CAN be scratched

2010-04-12T20:48:00.003-04:00

Flying Dog Old Scratch
Amber Lager, 5.5% ABV
Brewed in Frederick, MD

First off, check out the label above. I know -- we’ve had this discussion I am a sucker for marketing.

Ok, now I have to let you in on what’s written on it:
“Some itches can’t be scratched. Like your fantasy involving latex and flavored lotions. So it’s best to concentrate on the ones you can scratch. Like your itch for this Amber Lager, with a malty, mellow flavor. As for your other fantasies, you’ll probably need to find a chat room for those.” = Hilarious.

The label also boasts a quote from Hunter S. Thompson, “Good people drink good beer” -- cheers to that! You can always judge a person by the beer they drink, OR if they don’t drink beer at all.

This beer is tasty. It’s fizzy, crisp, a little sweet and very drinkable -- definitely hitting the spot on this 50 degree night. This brew is not heavy at all, but it’s warming me up enough to take the chill out of the air.
It reminds me of a Magic Hat #9 without the apricot flavors hitting the back of my tongue.

Flyingdogales.com says that these suds are fermented at medium temperatures to develop both ale and lager characteristics. Old Scratch is also an award-winning ale. It’s a 2008 Silver Medal Winner - World Beer Cup (American-Style Amber Lager Category) AND a 2008 Silver Medal Winner - Great American Beer Festival (Amber Lager Category)

I am also a huge fan eating around your beverage. I like to figure out what I am drinking before I decide “What’s for dinner.” I enjoyed tonight’s Old Scratch with roast beef, and did right by the suggested pairings which are; roasted meats, hearty breads, spicy food and Cajun food.

Check out more ways to eat drink and be merry at BeerDinners.com

What are some of your fav beer/dinner pairings? Do tell.

A Stone & BrewDog Collaboration?? This Ain't No April Fools.

2010-04-01T12:36:00.007-04:00

Admittedly so, I appear to be on a bit of a BrewDog kick as of late. (After all of this attention, I better start "researching" this Scottish Export.)

As work took a bit of a slow turn today, I noticed a new "twitt" or "tweet" that grabbed my curiosity. See, lately I've been a big supporter of the Stone Brewery. Beer geeks out West have enjoyed the Stone offerings for years and years (since they are located in San Diego) but most recently, they've finally made their way to the East Coast.

(I must have done something good.)

If you are a beer drinking (and if you are reading this I take it you are), and HAVEN'T tried something from the Stone Brewery, please put that at the top of your list the next time you hit the packy. A little on the expensive side, I recommend going for one of their bombers first (although not many come in 6 pks anyway). Start off with the Arrogant Bastard... and work your way up to their Double Bastard. You can tell, beer drinkers make this beer. Not corporate suits.

And might I add, I love the ideas the Stone continues to come up with. The head brewer over there, Greg is big on collaborations. And this one just seems like another great idea. Introducing the LUCIFERIN GOLDEN IMPERIAL STOUT!!!

(Did he say, Golden... Stout??)

Take a look at the video below... these guys crack me up. Since it is limited, I expect a hefty price tag on it. But sounds like it could be fantastic.

Happy Thursday, everyone!!

Brewdog / Stone Luciferin Golden Imperial Stout from stonebrew on Vimeo.

First Ever Boston Bacon and Beer Festival

2010-03-30T13:48:00.001-04:00

The Rules Don't Apply to BrewDog

2010-03-30T11:32:00.010-04:00

So after several conversations, I realized that not many people are familiar with the folks from BrewDog.

Beer411 readers, meet BrewDog. BrewDog... meet Beer411.

(I have to start off by saying I've never had these brews, but they have certainly sparked my interest. So if anyone out there can share their encounters with BrewDog... feel free to share!)

These guys hail from way across the pond in Scotland. The passion that they have in their beer is evident as they became Scotland's largest independent brewery in 2007. One of their claim to fames is brewing the worlds Strongest beer. Now you read previous reviews about ABV at 8% or even 10%. And most likely, Kate and I will warn you to drink with caution, because a 10% beer is pretty high.

Not to these guys.

Several years ago, BrewDog introduced their beer TOKYO to the world. A Russian Imperial Stout which clock in at a whopping 18.2% ABV. At the time, it was considered the Strongest Beer in the World. But like with any records, they are meant to be broken... So BrewDog was dethroned to the likes of Sam Adams Utopias and other small craft brewers.

The ABV of beers got higher and higher... constantly raising the bar on the competition. Then after a German beer (that I can't even pronounce) held the title of World's Strongest Beer at 30.86%, the boys from BrewDog took back their title with a beer they called, Tactical Nuclear Penguin at a ridiculous 32% ABV!!! It falls in the category of a American Double / Imperial Stout. (See the video below on how they went about re-claiming their title.)

Time to sit back and relax, right? Not for these guys.

Needless to say, the German folks over at the beer that I can't pronounce, did not take too kindly getting bumped from the top. So they shot back with their new line, raising the ABV bar to a stupid 39.44%!! No one will EVER beat that!

Remember what I said about records? Yeah... BrewDog wasn't about to let this happen.

So not ONLY did they introduce something bigger and stronger, but the name they picked just tells me that there's something personal about this ABV rivalry. Presenting BrewDog's SINK THE BISMARK; and a ridiculously high %41 ABV. Now a quick history lesson, the Bismark was the name of a German Navy Ship that the Royal Navy attempted to sink during WWII. (tell me that this isn't getting personal). This blend is a Double IPA that is suggested to be enjoyed in several sittings. Or with lots of friends. (See the video below...).

To put this whole ABV talk into perspective... here's a list of ABV of spirits:
Bourbon (51-79 %ABV)
Brandy (40-45 %ABV)
Gin (37.5 %ABV)
Rum (37.5-57 %ABV)
Tequila (40-50 %ABV)
Vodka (35-50 %ABV)
Whisky (40-53.3 %ABV)

So these beers are on the same block as some of the cheaper Gins, Vodkas, Rums, Whiskeys and Tequilas. That's just silly.

If you have a moment... check out how BrewDog went about making their Tactical Nuclear Penguin and their newly crowned Sink the Bismark! Funny, funny guys that I hope to meet someday.

Tactical Nuclear Penguin from BrewDog on Vimeo.

Sink the Bismarck! from BrewDog on Vimeo.

For a full list of BeerAdvocates top 100 Strongest Beers in the World check out the link below:

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Springtime

2010-03-26T14:07:00.003-04:00

Brewing Company: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Style: IPA
Size: 12 fl oz.
ABV: 7.00%

I had to break down last night. I just couldn't take it anymore.

After the weather we had last week, I have been in a summertime mood like its going out of style. I've been talking up the softball season with my friends... I've been discussing potential trips to take this summer... and I've been talking to my roommate about getting the grill ready... mmmmm Grillin'. But, since Connecticut likes to remind us New Englanders that it's still March by giving us 20-40 degree weather today... I had to take matters into my own hands.

Per the suggestion of Mr. John Gill, I stopped by the packy a few days ago to sample this year's offering of Dogfish's Aprihop. And needless to say, it did not disappoint.

So there I was last night, dusting off the George Foreman grill in my kitchen. The burger hit the pan and the smells of summertime food were in the air; enter delicious beer stage right. As you can see by the above picture, the Aprihop pours a very nice amber color with a white head which quickly dissipates. Now, you have two very obvious factors at this point. The beer is call APRI-HOP. So you can guess that it's going to have some apricot/peach nodes in there with some extra hops to give it a dry Pale Ale type finish to it.

Bingo.

The smells come across with a citrus nose but has definitely a hint of sweetness & maltiness to it. But what's fantastic about this beer is that it's not too sweet. So for all of your Sam Adams Cherry Wheat fans out there, this one isn't for you. But for those that enjoy actually drinking a beer and not getting a cavity, step up to the bar. The hops are also very present as well. But enough about look and smells... let's taste the damn thing.

The name "Aprihop" in my opinion really lends itself to the type of beer you're about to taste. The citrus/apricot/peachy smells work very well with the hoppy bitterness of this variety. While you get the fruitiness of the beer at first, the hops cut the sweetness, which gives a clean, crisp, dry finish.

Now, my cousin as viciously accused me of being a "hop head". Ok, ok... I admit, I love me some hops which could be why I enjoy this Dogfish offering so much (for the daring/curious SEE Dogfish's 90 min or 120 min IPA). But I really don't think it's too hoppy for your average beer goer. And notice that it's only at about 7.0% ABV so in my opinion, it's a great beer to crack at the end of the day. A little sweet, a little crisp, a little bitter, and quite refreshing. So if you are looking for something a little different for the Easter season or just want to get into that Spring/Summer spirit... you know what to drink.

Final Grade: A-

Aww Shucks: Harpoon Oyster Stout

2010-03-24T21:14:00.005-04:00

Harpoon Brewery / Oyster Stout

English Stout: 5.50% ABV

Grade: B+

When has a bartender ever asked, “Are you allergic to shellfish?”

Well if you are ordering the Harpoon Oyster Stout, it’s a prerequisite.

This salty sud was boiled with 180 oysters pulled from the Duxbury Bay to create Harpoon’s 100 Barrel Series Island Creek Oyster Stout, bottled on Feb. 5.

Sidebar: Depending on which group of friends I am with, they would be surprised I could taste this brew without breaking out in hives. TRUTH: I don’t like seafood. I have tried almost every kind out there, REALLY, I have. So normally I say I am allergic to fish avoid the rhapsody, “No – but try this, you will really like it, really – try it,” – I’VE TRIED IT, I DONT LIKE FISH! I digress…

SO, I was happy to learn that while the Oyster Stout smells like the inside of a seashell, it does not taste like fish at all AND I got to have this beer straight out of the brewery tap. Does it get any fresher than that?

It pours dark with a frothy head that coats your mouth. After a glass, I felt like I was at the beach all day – water please! The Oyster Stout is full bodied and salty with burnt caramel and mocha flavors. It’s delicious, but more than one would have been tough to get through.

I would imagine that this beer would pair much better with food, paella being my recommendation. Yes I’ve tried it.

After chatting up with the brew master I learned that oyster stouts are big in the UK. Their water is “thinner”, which is great for making lighter beers, but it lacks the minerals needed to create stouts and lagers. They use the minerals from the oyster shells to create depth and body in their beer.

Harpoon is tipping their hat to the UK and they did a pretty good job. If you can get your hands on it and you are not allergic, (or fake allergic) give it a shot or in this case, give it a pint.

Excuse me, you just spilled beer on my Snuggie

2010-01-28T16:17:00.002-05:00

The Snuggie phenomenon has just reached epidemic levels.

I told you I was going to start thinking more, “New England” and here it is: A Snuggie Pub Crawl -- right in my hometown of Somerville, Mass.

Well at least I won’t have to worry about what to wear...

Taste those winter suds while warm and cozy inside your very own Snuggie. I wonder if the zebra Snuggie will come out and play? Finally, a blanket that will allow you to drink and keep warm!

The Snuggie Pub Crawl is Saturday, 8-11 p.m., starting at the Independent, 75 Union Square, Somerville. A $5 admission benefits local youth organizations.

See below for full details from Boston.com

Snug as a bug in a pub
Barhopping event gets cozy

In the depths of the New England winter, it can be nearly impossible to pry people out of the house, even though a draught of brisk air might be the best thing for their mental health. But the couch is so warm . . . so cozy. Which is why Diana Weisner’s planned outing is, in its way, so perfect. This Saturday, the reclusive can simultaneously socialize and hibernate at the Boston-area’s first-ever Snuggie Pub Crawl.

That’s right, wear your Snuggie to a bar, perhaps several bars. And drink.
The cozy crew will start at the Independent in Somerville at 8 p.m. and move on to Precinct, Sally O’Brien’s, P.A.’s Lounge, and Bull McCabe’s, everyone snug as a bug in a well, you know.

Weisner’s enthusiasm banishes all thought of cold-weather blues. The Union Square resident, 25, planned the pub crawl as a small event for friends like the pajama party she threw at Maggiano’s a couple of years ago. But everyone who’s heard about the Snuggie crawl wanted in. Now she’s expecting 100 people.

Scenesters who complain that Boston’s behind the times have a legitimate point this time. According to snuggiepubcrawls.com, 62 cities held such crawls last year. Even Scranton, Penn., beat us to the (fuzzy) punch.

Perhaps it’s a sign of the staying power of the dubious (and ironic) style quotient of the fleece fad. Weisner herself mocked Snuggies for months, she said. In retaliation, her aunt gave her one. Weisner fell in love and gave them to her smirking roommates.

“Now we all sit on the couch in our living room looking like a bunch of monks,’’ she said.

So Snuggie fans, emerge. You have nothing to lose but your clean hems trailing along all those sticky pub floors. (To preserve her own treasured blanket with sleeves, Weisner has purchased a special one for the event. She declined to describe it in detail -animal print? sequins? -but admitted, “It is noticeable.’’)

Participants will compete in contests at each stop on the trail, with prizes from Union Square institutions such as the Neighborhood Restaurant and Bloc 11. It starts with Best Pirate Snuggie, Weisner said (her tip: bring props), and moves on to something called “Snug a Stranger,’’ several athletic events, and Snuggie Clown Car (guess). At the finish line, attendees will crown a king and queen.

Anyone can participate as long as they don’t try to bend the rules or attempt some sort of DIY shroud. “An afghan?’’ Weisner exclaimed, toweringly indignant. “Does it have sleeves?’’

Slankets, however, are fine.

The Snuggie Pub Crawl is Saturday, 8-11 p.m., starting at the Independent, 75 Union Square, Somerville. 617-440-6022. A $5 admission benefits local youth organizations.

Beantown is Where it's at for Brews This June

2010-01-27T16:43:00.007-05:00

Thinking warm thoughts ...

Bostonians already know that the bean is home to amazing pubs, restaurants and bars that offer a hefty selection of craft beers, imports and homebrews -- (ever spin the wheel at Bukowski's or order a beer you can't pronounce from the Publick House?)

This is however, the first time I am learning about Boston Beer Week.

From June 11-20 keep an eye out for brewtastic events at your favorite watering holes. Better yet, the Beeradvocate and Harpoon are teaming up for a third year to offer the American Craft Beer Fest at the Seaport Hotel June 18-19 2010 -- more than 80 beers are expected to be on tap fresh for the tasting.

I am already feeling the warmth a citrusy Sam Summer with an orange, YUM!

See below for more details and the full release from Boston.GrubStreet.com

(... back to reviewing winter beers)

Boston, MA (January 2010) - To celebrate beer in Boston, Jason and Todd Alström, brothers and founders of BeerAdvocate, will officially launch Boston Beer Week from June 11-20, 2010. The not-for-profit campaign aims to encourage and empower brewers, bars, restaurants, stores, and anyone else involved in the beer industry within the 128-Belt to host and promote beer-centric events throughout the week.

“It’s a fact. Boston area residents have access to one of the most diverse selections of beer in the world.” stated Jason Alström. “And it’s our goal to bring awareness to this awesome beer scene,” added Todd Alström, “by offering a central hub for event organizers to freely list their events, while also giving beer lovers easy access to the week of beer. We also plan to heavily promoting the entire week, working with partners to help spread the word, and hosting quite a few events ourselves.”

The official Boston Beer Week website, along with much more information, will be posted before March 1. http://beeradvocate.com/bbw

BeerAdvocate and Harpoon Brewery will also cap-off the week with the third annual American Craft Beer Fest (ACBF). The main event will be held on June 18 & 19, 2010 at the Seaport World Trade Center Boston, featuring upwards of 80 American brewers, 400 craft beers, and plenty of beer education.

Tickets go for ACBF on-sale early February. Brewers interested in participating can contact mail@beeradvocate.com

For more info: http://beeradvocate.com/acbf
Boston Beer Week Announcement [Beer Nut]Read more: What to Drink at Boston Beer Week -- Grub Street Boston http://boston.grubstreet.com/2010/01/what_to_drink_at_boston_beer_w.html#ixzz0dqqdY4gp

RRRRRR...the World Must Know About The Mutiny Fleet!!

2010-01-27T16:21:00.003-05:00

Why be normal when you can be EXTRAARGHdinary?
Hugh Sisson - Managing Partner, Clipper City Brewing Co, LP

Most people have never heard of this line, but with a little luck on your side, you might be able to find it at your local packy. Brewed down in the Baltimore area since 1989, this young brewery has grown tremendously; introducing their HEAVY SEAS line in 2003 and most recently their MUTINY FLEET series.

The best way to get introduced to these beers is to find one that you like. They offer a great mix pack called the Sunkin Sampler... they give you very hoppy varieties with there LOOSE CANNON offering (one of my favorites), to Pilsners, to Imperial Stouts...

And as I stated earlier, they've introduced a new line called MUTINY FLEET; all of which are in 22 oz bombers. Let me just say that I'm a huge fan of bombers in general. It's like drinking a fine wine - there's a process before consuming. You have to pour it in a glass... let it breath... and even in some cases (with dark beers), you have to let it warm up a bit in order to get a better idea of the flavors at work... Plus with 22 oz of fun, you probably will be more inclined to enjoy them WITH a friend(s). Now, in terms of this MUTINY FLEET, I honestly haven't tried all of them... but, I will shed some light on the ones that I have sampled. Note that all of these varieties contain an ABV of 8.0% or higher. So these are not for the faint-hearted. Now class, let's begin...

THE GREAT PUMPKIN:
STYLE: Pumpkin Ale, ABV: 8.0%

Not the first offering of the MUTINY FLEET, but the first one that started gaining some ground on the competition. I believe their Oktoberfest "PROSIT" was the inaugural release, but was extremely limited. Luckily, my local brewmaster saved me a bottle and I did have the chance to sample. In short, it was good, not my favorite Octoberfest. It had its far share of sweet malts but the booziness was too strong for my liking. BUT, shortly after this release came The Great Pumpkin. Heavy Seas hit a home run here. In the world of Pumpkin Ales (which is what started this blog to begin with) you have your Shipyard Pumpkinheads, your Southern Tier Pumkings, etc... The Great Pumpkin is a very nice balance of ABV, hops, malt and a little extra pumpkin spice. Note that this is much "boozier" that other kinds; so if Pumpkinhead is more your speed, you probably won't like this one. Lucky for me, the local packy that I like to hit up, overstocked on this variety so I literally just bought another bottle last week. If you missed out on this one, put this on your list for next year.

YULE TIDE:
STYLE: Belgium Style Tripel Ale, ABV: 10.0%

Now that the MUTINY FLEET had my undivided attention, I couldn't wait for the Seasonal release of Yule Tide (love the label too... It's like Santa Claus meets the Goonies). I will say that Belgium Ales are not high on my list. But it's nice to change things up from time to time. Pours brownish-amber with Belgium yeast particles floating throughout. It has a very sweet; almost candied aroma. Much like the aromas, the taste has a strong sweetness and does hit you in the classic Belgium (fruity) style. I did capture a hint of cloves in the smell/taste which gave it that holiday feel. In my opinion, this is one of those beers that you share. Not that its not good; but the sweetness and boozy qualities make the drinkability tough. I had one by myself... and by the end I was full, slightly buzzed, and I felt like I got a cavity from finishing the entire thing.

HOLY SHEET:
STYLE: Belgium Strong Dark Ale, ABV: 9.0%

Now, Holy Sheet was first introduced to me in the Sunkin Sampler. (How can you not like the name?! Ok, I'm a sucker for Marketing.) Anyway, I enjoyed this variety because it wasn't like any of the beers that they offered in their mix pack. As a Dark Belgium (different from the Tripel), this has more of a dark fruit aroma to it (i.e. raisins, plums). There is a strong maltiness to it as well... And the alcohol is very present here, this one is a sipper (not as much as the Yule Tide). HOWEVER! My opinions are based on the 12 oz bottle that I got out of the mix pack... rumor has it that Heavy Seas listened to their critics and tweaked the recipe ever so slightly. The MUTINY FLEET re-release represents their NEW 2010 variety. So... if there anyone out there that has tried it; please feel free to send us your feedback!

If you've made it this far (I had some making up to do since my cousin has been on fire with her entries lately!!!) I felt like I should have a surprise for you... there are rumors of a NEW Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet release... and while I enjoy my IPAs and seasonal brews... this one looks like it could be one of their best...

introducing...

SIREN NOIRE:

Obviously, since this one is yet to even be announced... I haven't had the chance to try it. But let's go over the basics... Chocolate-AWESOME, Beer-AWESOME, Chocolate Beer - FRIGGIN AWESOME!! Ever since my appreciation for the darker beers as of late, I think my palate is ready for this one. (SEE BROOKLYN BLACK CHOCOLATE STOUT) Although at 22 oz, I wouldn't recommend drinking this one yourself. Go with the buddy system.

Another great offering from this line is there DIPA (Double IPA)... set to be released in February (if it isn't out already). I haven't had this one myself, but am a big fan of Double IPAs and have heard very good things. Again, for those hop heads that are reading this, feel free to send us your thoughts on the Heavy Seas DIPA!

To read more about the Mutiny Fleet line and other great products from the Clipper City Brewery, please visit: http://www.ccbeer.com/beerlist/Mutiny+Fleet

Mad Elf & Seriously Bad Elf

2010-01-26T16:27:00.003-05:00

Tröegs Mad Elf

Belgian Strong Dark Ale 11.00% ABV

Seriously Bad Elf

English Strong Ale 9.00% ABV

The Elves are happily on leave from Santa’s workshop and have come out to play. I know the cuz was having a hard time finding these in Conn. so when I saw them on the menu at Asgard Irish Pub in Cambridge, very cool place by the way www.classicirish.com – I had to order them and check them out. Cead Mile Faite!

I have never had either of these brews before and I made the amateur mistake of trying them back to back – didn’t check the ABV until after, opps.

They both get a B+ in my book and didn’t taste at all like I thought they would. I was expecting two heavy, winter beers but instead I got something much different. I consider these both to be dessert beers. They were sweet – almost cider-like.

I think that is the one thing I have learned through my winter beer experimenting. Winter beer does not always mean heavy, hoppy lagers and stouts. A lot of these beers are crisp and have cranberry, honey, citrus, and apple flavors running through them, using the fruits of the holiday. Winter is actually a great "girly-drinking" season. Who knew?

These two beers are especially thin and go down easy, use caution. Ok, here is the run down according to me:

Mad Elf – Reminded me of a Bellini -- you know, the fancy champagne drinks with fruit juice? Yes, I just compared beer to champagne. It had really strong flavors of cherries, honey and chocolate malt. It was fizzy, sweet, delicious and STRONG.

Seriously Bad Elf – This beer was both sweet and sour. Vanilla smacks you right in the face and I felt like I was biting into a granny smith apple. It tasted more like a liqueur than a beer. My trustworthy sidekicks who were stealing sips compared it to a kicked-up Magners.

There is also Insanely Bad Elf, Very Bad Elf and just plain Bad Elf. Give em’ a try and post your findings here.

Here is a little bit of trivia for you regarding Seriously Bad Elf, (Tony maybe this is why you were having a hard time finding it in Conn.): “State officials in Connecticut want to ban the holiday beer because they worry the label (see photo above) might entice children to drink beer, sparking a possible constitutional battle and virtually guaranteeing the beer will sell out.”

– hmm…

ALSO: For a chuckle check out this clip of two knuckle-heads who clearly had too many elves and a camera on hand. http://vodpod.com/watch/1243579-12-beers-of-christmas-9-very-bad-elf

Cheers everyone!

Samuel Adams Noble Pils

2010-01-13T21:16:00.005-05:00

Did Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow? Doesn't matter, according to Sam spring is on it's way ... better drink the winter stuff quick!

Check this out: http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2010/01/sam_adams_has_a.html

Well, its supposed to be 40 degrees on Friday, that is a start in the right direction.

Drink warm beer lovers!

Magic Hat's Feast of Fools

2010-01-05T20:08:00.003-05:00

Move over Sam -- this year I brought Magic Hat's Feast of Fools variety pack to the party. The 12-pk comes with #9, Lucky Kat, Winter Odd Notion 09 and the Howl. Don't worry I did the dirty work for you and tried them ALL! Tough job I know ... here's what I thought:

#9 / 4.60% ABV / Grade: A

I am not really sure #9 belongs in this mix, it's one of my favs -- but I drink it in the summer all the time! The "not quite pale ale" has a yummy apricot finish, it's really refreshing and because most of us have enjoyed a #9 I won't bother to say anymore...

Winter Howl / 4.60% ABV / Grade: B

First of all the label is amazingly cool, kudos to the art team who designed it -- on to the beer. Talk about a dark ale that packs a punch! It's a pitch black and has a burnt-caramel-coffee taste to it. Really bitter finish. I would say eat a meal or dessert with this guy, not a stand alone brew. Just my opinion. It's not a real heavy ale, so if you like bitter and want something to warm you up before you hit the town this one might be for you.

Winter Odd Notion 09 / 4.50% ABV / Grade: B

This beer was a party in my mouth. I didn't really know what I was getting myself into or what to expect. You think the winter variety pack is going to have darker richer beers right? This one was sweet. Very crisp with a tart thing going on. Like craisons on crack. Remember that cute little girl from the Welch's commercial "It makes you pucker your cheeks" -- that is this beer. I hate to say this, but it's the "girly" drink from the pack. If you are looking for a refreshing, different 'one and done' kinda night, give it a shot.

Lucky Kat / 5.80% / Grade: D

Disclaimer, I am not a huge IPA fan...

I really like winter/fall beers because of all the hidden spice and creaminess that is brought to the table during these drinking seasons, so I am a little out of my element with this brew. With that said -- Lucky Kat was not so lucky for me. I did not like this beer at all. I actually let my drain finish half it. OUCH, I know. It was very malty, watery and tasted like pine in my mouth. I couldn't even pawn them off to my friends. Maybe an IPA lover can counter me on this one? ... try it and tell me what you think.

What this foodie also loved, is that they have a cool recipe link for foods on the Magic Hat website that you can create with the Feast of Fools ales like, "Howlling Good Gingerbread" and the "Winter Odd Notion Crab Dip." Now I know what to do with my left over Lucky Kat's .. Eeesh ;) Check it out: http://www.magichat.net/fof/recipes

Cheers to 2010! Let's make it a good one.

Anchor Steam's Christmas Ale

2009-12-29T16:44:00.006-05:00

Brewing Company: Anchor Steam
Style: Winter Seasonal
Size: 12 fl oz. or 50.7 oz MAGNUMS
ABV: 5.50%

After a several week layoff, we're back for more holiday reviews. Thanks to my cousin for kicking things off with a great review on Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout. I hope that these reviews reach all of our loyal readers (all 6 of you), in time before these holiday varieties are taken off the shelf. While I'm admittedly partial to Oktoberfests, there are some exceptional flavors out there that MOST people wouldn't know about! In the past month or so, I've gotten people to try darker beers that normally they wouldn't have even thought twice about. "Oh, I don't really like dark beer." Ah, ah, ah... just try it. And while yes there are those people that do not like certain kinds of beer, several of them came back with, "Hey you know, I could definitely drink that. Wow... That's really good!" So for those of you that are daring... or curious about a few holiday micros... pull up a chair and listen in. This could be exactly what you are looking for at the end of the day to enjoy by the fire. And strangely enough, most of these pair very well with leftover holiday cookies. :)

So needless to say, nothing says Merry Christmas and Happy New Year like the Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Ale from Anchor Steam (Christmas Ale for short). These brewers are relentless, changing the recipe (and label design) EVERY year. More spice, less spice, more hops, less hops... I was introduced to this beer last year while I helped my friends Ian and Emily cut down their Christmas tree at Jones Tree Farm in Monroe, CT. This year's variety certainly did not disappoint. The beer appears very dark during the pour, but comes across as surprisingly lighter than one might expect. The head on the beer has a chocolate/coffee tint to it (definitely pour this into a glass for optimum enjoyment!). The nose has a total holiday feel to it with essence of nutmeg and other spices. One would expect a strong taste after smelling this concoction, but the flavors come across as the perfect balance of spice, coffee, and nuttiness... with a lighter malty finish. One reviewer noted that the taste has a roasted pecan and date/fig flavor to it with hints of apple, cinnamon, and juniper.

My brother-in-law was nice enough to buy the family a magnum of the Christmas Ale to enjoy after our Thanksgiving meal up in New Hampshire. I would highly recommend having one following a nice meal. And it's worth pointing out that at only 5.50%, this brew is very drinkable; without knocking you over.

FINAL GRADE: A-

So from all of us at Beer411 to all of you... Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and have a wonderful New Year in 2010!!

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout

2009-12-28T23:48:00.002-05:00

Brewing Company: Brooklyn

Style: Stout

ABV: 10.10%

I love me a stout in the winter, PERIOD -- Gimmie-gimmie!

I do think however, where beer is concerned, breweries like to throw around the word "chocolate" during winter season. It says to the un-aware beer drinker, will this be a sweet beer? -- Nope -- AND if you aren't a fan of stouts, your love of chocolate won't bring this one home for you either.

To me, the Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout was delicious; nutty, rich, and creamy BUT it tasted more like an espresso drink than chocolate. Maybe it hinges on a mocha latte, but lets not get crazy here, this is beer we are talking about!

Note the respectable ABV on this guy -- 10.10%, you can't tell when you are drinking it. It goes down like milkshake, with a zing of hops at the end. The cuz and I split one, and for good reason.

As with most stouts you can't chill with them all night, and it could have been the huge xmas meal I ate before, but I was mighty full after sipping on this creamy delite.

Final Grade - B+

Other Chocolate Stouts to try:

Youngs Double Chocolate Stout

Rogue Chocolate Stout

Belgin Dip Chocolate Stout

ALSO Check out this killer dessert idea for your next shin-dig: Chocolate Stout Float Recipe

http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/beer/chocolate-stout-recipes.asp

Let me know what your favs are -- Happy Tasting!

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

2009-11-10T17:29:00.002-05:00

What started as a simply Fall/Pumpkin/Oktoberfest beer review... has grown into a seasonal brew review!! After a few weeks of covering Pumpkin Beers and Oktoberfest beers alike, the public demanded MORE!! They asked, "So what are you going to do when the FALL beers disappear from the shelves and we're in WINTER mode?" Well, here's your answer!!!

My cousin and I have had a great time trying out new labels n' such - but we want to hear from YOU!! If you have a beer you want us to review... let us know!!! If you have a beer that you want to review... go for it!! I'd be happy to add it to the site.

Here are a few beers that I hope to cover in the next few months:

Harpoon Winter Warmer
Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout
Anchor Merry Christmas Happy New Year Ale
Clipper City Yule Tide (New release!)
Stone Brewery Russian Imperial Stout
Bad Elf, Very Bad Elf, Extremely Bad Elf...etc.

There hopefully will be others... but those are the ones that I just quickly thought of. So throw another log on the fire, put on some wicked comfy pj pants that Mom gave you back on Christmas Eve... and pour yourself a nice cold one.

Besides... who doesn't like research??

Shipyard's Smashed Pumpkin Ale

2009-10-16T15:33:00.004-04:00

Brewing Company: Shipyard
Style: Pumpkin
Size: 22 fl oz.
ABV: 9%

The review of the season is HERE!!! As I write this entry, I bring you all good and bad news. The good being that I feel like Shipyard has a GREAT idea on their hands. They've successfully create a "heavy" Pumpkin Ale (compared to the Pumpkinhead Ale and Post Road's of the world). The bad news is that not only was it an EXTREMELY limited release, it has more or less disappeared from the shelves as Packies are now beginning to turn a blind eye to Fall/Autumn/Oktoberfest beers. Hard to believe that the season has already come and practically gone. So take in this review, and be on the lookout for this one next year!!!

I'd like to dedicate this review to the Girosky brothers, because without them - this would not have been possible (Kudos to my buddy Ian as well for finding a bottle at his favorite packy in Naugatuck). The first bottle that I had the pleasure of tasting was bought RIGHT AT the Shipyard Brewery in Portland, ME (thank you Chris!!). Then, it was hand delivered to me by his brother, my good friend Matt - WHICH was then dropped off RIGHT AT MY DOOR!!! These guys rock. And after I acquired said delicious beer, it turns out that Southington Wine and Spirits was NOT going to get any cases in! No fault on them... they tried and were even TOLD that they would get at least a case. But, nada. Ok... enough back story... let's DRINK!!

As I put earlier, Shipyard basically took their Pumpkinhead Ale concept, and kicked it in the ass. This beer gives you almost 4% ABV more (sitting at a tasteful 9%). Of course, there are STRONGER Pumpkin Ales out there (i.e. Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin) but you know right away that this has a bit more bite to it. Poured into a glass the color had a copper almost amber tinge to it. The head on the beer was white and thin. While there isn't much of a smell to this beer once you pour it into your chalice (probably because it's from the bottle), this variety has much more spice to it (attributing to its "heavier" flavor). You get a mouthful of pumpkin spices, with hints of nutmeg, vanilla, and cinnamon. The hoppiness of this brew is a bit more than other pumpkin ales, but still remains subtle. The malts give it a nice medium body with a touch of bitters at the finish.

Please keep in mind that all of these flavors and tastings are grading a beer out of the bottle... I mean, according to Beer Advocate, there is almost an entire letter grade different from the folks that reviewed this beer on bottle from those that tasted it on tap! Maybe next year I'll take a trip up to Maine and find out for myself!

Overall, I would definitely buy this beer if I see it again. And I do have to say to my co-author, if PumKing is your current favorite, this beer may give the "King" a run for its money!!

Final Grade: A-

Arrogant Bastard Ale

2009-10-07T13:33:00.004-04:00

Brewing Company: Stone Brewery
Style: American Strong Ale
Size: 12 fl oz. or 22 fl oz.
ABV: 7.20%

I know that this blog was intended for seasonal beers. But this label got my attention and it seemed fitting seeing that Halloween is right around the corner. So for those that have daring pallets... step into my office.

Over the past few weeks, I've gotten to know the Beer Manager at Southington Wine and Spirits. He knows a ton about micro brews and I try and learn something new every time I stop in. Last week, I noticed a whole new line of beers that I hadn't seen before from the Stone Brewery out in California. And I trust the managers selection... he recommended that I give the Arrogant Bastard a try.

I have to admit... it was the name that drew me in first. Then as I examined the logo of the devil, I noticed their tag line: "You're Not Worthy." Then I read the back of the label and was instantly sold. The description on the back label is absolutely that of an "arrogant bastard". Check it out for yourself:

"Arrogant Bastard Ale: This is an aggressive beer. You Probably won't like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory --- maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it's made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beer will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps you think multi-million dollar ad campaigns make a beer taste better. Perhaps you're mouthing your words as you read this."

And of course.. you have to recognize the last line on the bottle:

"Questions or comments? If you don't like this beer, keep it to yourself --- we don't want to hear from any sniveling yellow-beer-drinkin' wimps, 'cause this beer wasn't made for you."

Ok, enough about what the bottle looks like... let's move onto the color & taste. It pours a nice dark amber color with a light brown head. The taste is incredibly complex hitting you instantly with hop/maltiness and finishing with a bitters. I feel like the bitter taste resembles that of a grapefruit. And at 7.2% ABV, it hits you harder than most beers... but with a name like Arrogant Bastard, I kind of expected it. It's not a "hop bomb" as some call it, but somewhere in the middle of a Double IPA and a Barley Wine.

Now what happened next was a little bazaar. I found that while the beer warmed up slightly... the tastes started really evening themselves out. At first what came across as a very strong bitter ale, was now much more mellow; drinkable and enjoyable. I highly suggest that when trying this beer, you maybe want to let it "breathe" before jumping right in. When I had it, we poured it right out of the fridge and jumped right in. Not the way to go. Instead, open this beer and let it sit on the counter while you enjoy something first. Then, jump into the world of the Arrogant Bastard.

If you are looking for a little extra credit, I also had the pleasure of sampling the Arrogant Bastard Oaked variety. A little more expensive than it's Arrogant cousin, but the oak'y taste really comes through on the end. Pointed out by my friend Ian, it had a nice maple finish to it.

Final Grade: B+ (A- Oaked)

My apologies for straying from out seasonal mentality. But this was something that I absolutely wanted to share with the Beer411 public. Be on the lookout for the next review thanks to the Girosky brothers - 2 hand delivered bottles from Maine. SHIPYARD's SMASHED PUMPKIN!!! 1st RELEASE!!

New England Brew Lovers

2009-09-28T17:41:00.002-04:00

Sharing the news: more info @ http://www.prescottpark.org/brew.cfm

NH BREW FEST
28 Breweries, 91 Brews, 1 Great Cause
Sample some of the finest craft beers, enjoy great food and music, and support the Prescott Park Arts Festival!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Two Sessions: Noon - 3:00 PM and 5:00 - 8:00 PM Admission - $25 advance / $35 Day of Fest Redhook Ale Brewery, 35 Corporate Drive, Portsmouth, NH

Admission includes entry to the event, 4oz souvenir sampler cup, beer samples, and live music and entertainment.

Enjoy some of the best craft beer, great food and music, and support a great cause.
Get ready for some great sampling! Here's what you'll find:

Allagash Brewing Co. -Allagash White, Allagash Curieux

Long Trail Brewing Co.-Long Trail Ale, Blackberry Wheat, Traitional IPA, Harvest Ale

Boston Beer Co.-Oktoberfest, Boston

LagerDogfish Head Craft Brewery-Punkin Ale, 90 Minute IPA, Palo Santo, Raison D'Etre Pennichuck Brewing Company Inc -The Big O Oktoberfest Lager, Engine 5 Red Ale,

Pozharnik Espresso Russian Imperial Stout Cask

Redhook Ale Brewery-Longhammer IPA, Winterhook 2009, Treblehook Barley Wine, Schmidty's Vise

Shipyard Brewing Co.-Shipyard Pumpkinhead, Shipyard Pugsley Signature Series XXXX IPA

Widmer Brothers Brewing Co.-Drifter Pale Ale, Hefeweizen

Tuckermans Brewing-Tuckerman Pale Ale, Tuckerman Headwall Alt, Tuckerman 6288

StoutMartha's Exchange-Oktoberfest Lager, Dark Rosaleen Stout, Another Ale

Smuttynose Brewing Co.-Pumkin Ale, Big A IPA, Star Island Single, Robust Porter

Otter Creek Brewing-Oktobergest Autumn Ale, Copper Ale, Quercus Vitis Humulus,

Wolaver's Will Stevens Pumkin

AleKona Brewing Co. -Longboard Lager, Fire Rock Pale Ale, Pipeline Porter

Cambridge Brewing Co. -The Great Pumpkin Ale, The Wind Cried Mary, Youenjymystout, Golden Ring Abbey Pale Ale

Magic Hat Brewing Co. -#9, Lucky Kat, Roxy Rolles, Odd Notion

D L Geary Brewing Co. -Geary's Pale Ale, Geary's Hampshire Special Ale

Woodstock Inn Brewery -Pigs Ear Brown Ale, Pemi Pale Ale, Red Rack Ale, Autumn AleGritty

McDuffs -Halloween Ale, Original Pub Style, Gritty's 21 IPA

Sebago Brewing Co. -Frye's Leap IPA, Midnight Porter, Runabout Red Ale,

Single Batch Series - Local Harvest Ale

Moat Mountain Smoke House & Brewing -Moat Octoberfest, Moat Brown, Moat Weiss

Portsmouth Brewery -Dirty Blonde Ale, Bottle Rocket IPA, Octoberfest Lager

Kennebec River Brewery -SledHead Red, India Pale Ale, Penobscot Porter

Lowell Beer Works -Octoberfest Lager, Pumpkinhead Ale

Boston Beer Works -Wet Hop Ale, Harvest Ale

Elm City Brewing Co Ltd -Roggen Beer, Tilt yer Kilt, Cream Ale, Leaf Peeper Amber Ale

Gardner Ale House -Oktoberfest Lager, mas Altbier, Chair City Pale Ale,

Naked StoutMilly's Tavern -Milly's Pumpkin Ale, Farmhouse Saison, Hopzilla Imperial IPA,

Endless Summer British AlePeak Organic Brewing Co. -Peak Organic Espresso Amber Ale, Peak Organic Nut Brown Ale,Peak Organic Pale Ale, Peak Organic Maple Oat Ale

Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout

2009-09-27T18:33:00.003-04:00

Brewed by Cape Ann Brewing Company, Massachusetts

6.75%ABV

Ok -- maybe it is my Irish roots coming through, but my favorite way to enjoy a pumpkin beer is to turn it into a black and tan. Yes -- that's right. Float the golden, fall essence on top of a dark, creamy Guinness. Well the Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout gives me everything that I want without having to over explain myself to the bartender.

The Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout is a meal in a glass; espresso, coffee, cinnamon, nutmeg glory in a rich, creamy beer good enough to eat.

I sipped its goodness alongside a slice of sweet potato pie and floated away to food/drink coma-ville.

I give this guy an A- for two reasons:

1) It gives this Irish gal all she has been looking for and

2) The beer is not a partay starter, you cannot drink it all night. This is a one-two max brew .. skip dinner and go for the gold. Compare it to red wine, or my inability to hang at my old age, but after two, creamy, delicious beers I was ready to be put to bed.

There can be only ONE!!!

2009-09-08T17:09:00.005-04:00

THE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT PUMPKIN ALE CONTINUES!!! Now, I just have to say how I'm really enjoying this Blog. I hope all of the readers are too!! By the way, the results are in after I posed the question: "What is your favorite beer season?" 30% enjoy Summer beers while 70% are more into the Fall/Oktoberfest variety. Although, perhaps its this blog that swayed the vote slightly seeing as we are currently all about Fall beers. But I have to agree - this time of year is definitely my favorite!!

Kate and I will try and give everyone a new question each week to keep you coming back for more. And don't forget to sign up to be a BEER411 FOLLOWER on the right side of the page!!

Anyway, last Thursday, we decided to put our pumpkin palates to the test. I convinced several brave souls to join me in a blind pumpkin ale tasting. No bottles or breweries or brand names to sway our votes... no price tags or popularity...not even the size of the bottle would sway our vote!! (get your mind out of the gutter, we're talking beer here!) The conditions were that everyone participating was asked to bring (1) 6 pk of Pumpkin Ale. I moderated so that no one brought duplicates.

Initially, I thought that we would have 3 or 4 different kinds btw the few people that showed up. Then, what started as 3 or 4 grew into 8!! Ultimately, here was the lineup that we ended up tasting:

Now, I'm not going to go through each and every beer that we tasted (However, all of the information on each one is listed below...FYI.) I want to inform everyone on the way we went about this tasting. What we liked, what we didn't like - and how each pumpkin ale compared to the other. I will say that each one of these ales was very drinkable... just some more than others. You'll also notice that there were several NOTABLE varieties missing... No Dogfish Punkin... No Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale... No Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin (new this year)... No Heavy Seas Pumpkin Ale (also new this year)... It's also worth pointing out that everyone's tastes are different. But the results were needless to say... interesting.

8 unmarked beers were poured into glasses and placed in front of us... we compared the smell, color, taste and finish of each one. Some were spicy... others bland... some didn't have much of a smell... others had a VERY pungent Pumpkin smell...

After everyone had a chance to sample... we started by each picking out our favorites. (The envelope please...)

Ladies and gentlemen, this year's 1st annual Impromptu Pumpkin Ale tasting award goes to...

...Post Road Pumpkin Ale.

Yes, this was one of my favorites. Out of the 6 people that were there, 3 picked the Post Road, 2 people picked the Shipyard Pumpkinhead and 1 picked the Weyerbacher. I'd have to say, it was tough, because I also REALLY liked the Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale. (See - I TOLD you it was good this year!!)

So what the heck does all this mean, Tone?! You tried a bunch of Pumpkin beers. Yeah great. What's in it for me?! Ah, grasshopper... here's my advice. If you are looking to spice up your beverages for a party this fall season, here are the 3 beers that I suggest you go with:

1. Post Road Pumpkin Ale
2. Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale
3. Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale

However, if you are someone that enjoys a more "complicated" taste and you aren't too afraid of a higher ABV%, jump into the world of Weyerbacher. I have to say, it was a very good beer too... but drinking a few of these might render your brain a little dumb.

Lastly, the one beer that really was in a class of its own... the Southern Tier PumKing Ale. In this type of tasting, it really did not go at all with the other beers we had. The smell was OVERPOWERINGLY Pumpkiny... and the taste was almost "buttery" or "creamy". I have to say when I had this beer about a week ago, it was very very good. However, I feel like in this sort of scenario (with all of the other beers being tasted at the same time), it caused the PumKing to get a low score on everyone's sheet. Moral of the story... if you go with this beer, make sure you start with it and don't plan to have a lot. Because if you stray from this variety and then go back (which most of us did during this tasting), I think you'd be overpowered with spices and texture. Recently, I read a description on a random beer blog that kinda hit the nail on the head. Drinking the Southern Tier is like Pumpkin Pie WITH the Whip Cream. There you go.

As for the other beers that we sampled... they were good. Just nothing to write home about. Saranac, Sea Dog, South Hampton... good, not great. Of course - the results could be TOTALLY different if it was out of the tap. :)

~Happy Hunting~

(From Left to Right)
Brewery: Weyerbacher
Style: Imperial Pumpkin Ale
Size: 12 fl oz.
ABV: 8.00%

Brewery: Smuttynose
Style: Pumpkin Ale
Size: 12 fl oz.
ABV: 6.00%

Brewery: Saranac
Style: Pumpkin Ale
Size: 12 fl oz.
ABV: 5.40%

Brewery: Sea Dog
Style: Pumpkin Ale
Size: 12 fl oz.
ABV: 5.00%

Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Style: Post Road Pumpkin Ale
Size: 12 fl oz.
ABV: 5.00%

Brewery: South Hampton
Style: Pumpkin Ale
Size: 12 fl oz.
ABV: 5.5%

Brewery: Shipyard
Style: Pumpkinhead Ale
Size: 12 fl oz.
ABV: 4.50%

Brewery: Southern Tier
Style: PumKing Ale
Size: 22 fl oz.
ABV: 9.00%

Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen

2009-09-05T16:26:00.003-04:00

Brewing Company: Paulaner Salvator Thomasbraeu AG Germany
Style: Oktoberfest
Size: 12 fl oz.
ABV: 5.80%

In lieu of my cousin and I’s fall drinking experiment, I have jumped ship from my normal U.S. October suds to sample Oktoberst from its roots, the Paulaner Salvator Thomasnraeu Oktoberfest, bottled and brewed in Germany. Oktoberfest is a sixteen-day festival held each year in Munich, Germany. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and the world’s largest fair, with some six million people attending every year.

Since I won’t be making the trip via plane this year, I will experience it via palate.

The Paulaner Ocktoberfest has a nice combo of sweet and hops, a strong nose of cinnamon, and a slight licorice finish. As far as fall beers goes, it has good weight -- not too heavy, but thick enough to keep you warm on a crisp fall day. All three friends in company that ordered it liked it, but didn’t get another one, which leads me to score it as a B. If they toned done the sweetness just a tad, I think we would have ordered another round.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale

2009-09-02T09:35:00.009-04:00

Brewing Company: Shipyard Brewing Co.
Style: Pumpkin
Size: 12 fl oz.
ABV: 4.50%

What better way to start off this blog, than with Shipyard's most famous seasonal favorite this time of the year... Pumpkinhead Ale. Maybe it's just because it's the time of the year but this beer is simply AWESOME this season. About two months ago, my girlfriend, Michelle and I took a trip up North to visit family in Maine. As luck would have it, we had some time to check out the Shipyard Brewing Company up in Portland, ME. A GREAT place to visit - but this isn't about the Shipyard Brewery... it's about their Pumpkinhead Ale. Needless to say, our visit certainly planted the seed in our minds of what was to come when the Fall rolled around...

So fast-forward to about two weeks ago... and their it was. Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale, sitting in the cooler, chilling to perfection. Like a long lost friend that you hadn't seen in a year. And if you ask me (and well, you ARE reading this so technically you ARE asking me, haha), it has lived up to the hype. I found that it doesn't knock you over the head with an overpowering pumpkin flavor. It also isn't too sweet which can be a MAJOR downfall when it comes to flavored beers. (If I wanted candy... I'd eat candy!!) The hints of cinnamon and nutmeg are subtle. Very easy to drink - which can be bad, but at ONLY 4.5% ABV (Alcohol by Volume), it's not going to end your night early.

Overall Grade: A-

Welcome to Beer411!!!

2009-09-02T09:13:00.004-04:00

After much deliberation on Facebook with my cousin Kate and I, the time has come to put all of these great ideas to PRINT!! That's right. What's the best Pumpkin Ale you ask? Where can I get a really good draft? Who's got the best Oktoberfest? We have your answers here. Welcome to Beer411!!

Over the next several weeks, you'll be getting reviews/stories/testamonitals of all types of seasonal favorites. (Don't you just LOVE this time of year!?) And if there's something out there that you HAVEN'T tried yet and want us to give it a go... LET US KNOW!! Our hopes that you can refer back to this website before you hit the packy so Kate and I can steer you right!!

Also, we want to hear from you and here YOUR reviews!! YOUR STORIES!! I encourage you to comment on a particular favorite... or ask questions on what seasonal favorite you might want to go with!! Bottomline is that this website is for you guys... Kate and I vow to give you our best reviews from all types of beer that is particularly in season. And if we can get enough interest in this site... perhaps we'll extend it to the Holiday favorites!!

Welcome to Beer411!!!