No More Mr. Nice Guy

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?

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!!"

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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!!!

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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.

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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!"

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

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.

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

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

"...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!!!