Site Upgrade

I will be using my four day weekend to put some site changes and upgrades into place.  Next week should see the debut of two or three new series.  I hope to also use the weekend to revamp the page layout, new indexing, and improve the user experience.    Some of the upgrades will start to show up over the weekend, and I do not anticipate any downtime.  See you next year!

Christmas Ale Update

I know you all remember the post I did on Northeast Ohio Christmas beers.  If you forget go here to check it out.  Well I added an update to the bottom.  Here is the update so you do not need to go through the whole thing again.

Update:  My cousin, who has been known to buy Great Lakes Christmas Ale by the case, preferred the Frosted Frog.  He agreed the Frosted Frog had a bolder flavor than Great Lakes.

Also, we had one Frosted Frog left from Thanksgiving, and my mother picked up several new bottles from the brewery a week before Christmas.  Dad and I poured the old bottle first.  Even though it was kept refrigerated we both thought the flavor was not as bold as we remembered and it reminded us of the aged version we previously tried.  We followed that up with a fresh bottle and it matched our recollections exactly.  Either we somehow got a bad bottle or Frosted Frog ages quickly.  I hesitate to use the word deteriorate, but it is clearly not the same beer it was just a month prior.  This confirms my suspicion that freshness is extremely important when it comes to Hoppin' Frog.

Why Do Brewpubs Sell Macro Lager?

Today feels like a Monday since I have been out of town so here is a tough topic to get the week off to a tough start.

Every time I walk into a brewpub I take a look at what beer is on the menu.  At Breckenridge in Denver I saw Miller Light, at Boulder Brewing's airport location I saw Coors Light, Flossmoor has High Life and Goose Island sells Budweiser.   Why do these breweries sell the competition?  I can somewhat understand a brewpub selling a guest draft of a crosstown rival, but why the big guys?

I have heard all the excuses.  Some say customers demand it, while others say it is a good way to maximize profits.  I think if your customers are demanding macro lager your brewer is not making a product worth drinking.  If you are really concerned about maximizing profits you sell your own beer.  Selling your own beer provides a much wider profit margin than selling a competitors.  Unfortunately, these brewpubs do not always have the best trained staff.  All too often I will hear someone order a Budweiser and fail to hear staff offer something comparable like 312.  Even if the staff do not make the sale right off the bat, a small free sample served alongside the swill might make the customer a believer.

Am I being picky or should brewpubs sell macro lager?

A Beer For New Years Eve

Christmas is past and New Year's Eve is coming up quick.  What beer should you take to the party?  I recommend Midas Touch by Dogfish Head.  I originally reviewed this beer a few months ago as the first in the 1001 series.  You can find that review here.

Midas Touch as you recall is very wine like in quality.  With a bit more carbonation it would be almost champagne like.  Since casual wine drinkers seem to find this beer palatable it is also a great way to get a friend hooked on craft beer in the coming year.

Do you have any suggestions for a NYE beer? Leave me a comment.

Merry Christmas!

I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas!  Maybe you even bothered to pick up a Christmas beer I reviewed earlier this week?  Come back Monday for a look at what to get for New Year's Eve.

Beer Review: Guinness Draught

Most people forget the name Guinness refers to a beer and not a brewery, and there is more than one version of Guinness.  St. James Gate Brewery founded in 1759 is by no means the biggest brewer in the world, but without a doubt brews the most iconic beer.  Almost anywhere in the world you can find Guinness, and the brewery has pioneered many techniques that make brewing what it is today.  For most of us, Guinness is our first dark beer.  Of course for the non-beer drinkers there is always the Guinness Book of World Records which was created in the 1950's to settle disputes in pubs regarding records and facts.  Either way Guinness is a recognizable name.

Tasting Notes:

When poured from a can with a nitrogen cartridge into a tulip pint Guinness Draught creates a creamy head atop black liquid.  Light aromas reminding the drinker of roasted malts.  Flavors of malt and cream cling to the tongue as it passes over leaving a slightly dry finish.  A drinkable beer to be sure, but not the same power as one would expect from an American craft brewed stout.

Be Safe This Holiday

The Holidays are now in full swing, and does not hurt to be reminded that beer is an intoxicant.  I know it surprises you that beer will make you drunk.  Do yourself a favor before you out this season and head over to craftbeer.com and check out the blood alcohol calculator.  You can use it to see exactly how much (or little) beer it takes to impair you, and hopefully make some smart choices.  Have fun and be safe!

Book Review: The Little Black Book Of Beer

The Little Black Book Of Beer provides a concise, easy to read, review of all the beer basics.  At approximately four by six inches this truly is a little black book.  Additionally, this was my first beer book.  I found it so useful getting started that I bought one for Bro as her first beer book.  A quick review of the history of beer both internationally and the unique history of the U.S. give readers an appreciation of where beer has come from and where it is going.  The author also takes the reader through the basics of tasting, storage, and even ordering beer.

One to two page reviews of different beer styles makes up the bulk of this book.  In each style review you learn the region of origin, common variations, alcohol by volume, characteristics, beers of each style to try, and food pairings.  The characteristics section has a basic history of the style as well as color, aroma and flavor profile you should expect.  There is a pretty solid glossary in the back.

I would say this book is a must for those getting started in beer.  The style guide provides an excellent background but is not serious enough for a brewer or beer judge.  Beer connoisseurs may find this book a bit beneath them, but I still use it from time to time for a quick fact check.  The compact size has allowed me to take it with me on many of my adventures like Denver for reference on the go.

A Northeast Ohio Christmas

I went home to visit family at Thanksgiving, and the Flossmoor Pullman Brown I took was a big hit.  Thanks to my Mom I sat down with my Dad and brothers and we sampled several other beers side by side.  We had four beers that day.  Now I know you all assume Great Lakes Brewing Company's Christmas Ale was on the list, and it was, but we also sampled a 2009 bottle aged Hoppin' Frog Frosted Frog Christmas Ale, a 2010 Frosted Frog, and 12 Dog Days of Christmas from Thirsty Dog.  Here are my notes from this side by side tasting:




Great Lakes Christmas Ale:
Pours a copper color with a one finger head.  A strong malt nose with hints of spice.  Tastes similar to a gingerbread cookie with a side of honey.  Moderately carbonated and very drinkable.  Although weighing in at 7.5% ABV this is the lowest alcohol beer of the day.












Hoppin' Frog Frosted Frog Christmas Ale (2010):

Brewery Fresh

Purchased from the brewery and kept refrigerated as suggested on the bottle label.  The 2010 poured a cider color with a slight head releasing a strong cinnamon aroma.  This beer also has a ginger cookie taste, but also a great deal of nutmeg and cinnamon with a slightly lingering aftertaste.  Frosted Frog only has 12 IBUs meaning almost no hop presence requiring the flavors to be driven by the added spices.  The flavor in this beer is much bolder than the Great Lakes almost as if it was concentrated somehow.  At 8.6%, although drinkable, a few of these will probably put you under the table.

Hoppin' Frog Frosted Frog Christmas Ale (2009):

Aged Frosted Frog

This bottle was purchased direct from the brewery in 2010.  I am operating under the assumption that it was properly aged at their facility.  The 2009 poured with no head and much darker than the cider colored non-aged Frosted Frog.  There was no cinnamon smell, but a much stronger ginger presence in the aroma.  It went down very smooth with a bite, with a strong cinnamon flavor.  The aftertaste here lingered much longer than 2010 bottle.

12 Dog Days of Christmas by Thirsty Dog:
This beer poured an amber color with a light head.  The nose had malt, but a very weak aroma.  The flavors you expect to be there, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger were non-existent.  This was a very malty beer, but unfortunately did not match in flavor to the other beers on the table.

The Winner:
To be honest I went into this tasting with a front runner in my mind and I was personally surprised at the results.  I was the only one, of the tasting group, who cared for the 2009 Frosted Frog.  It had a definite aged taste to it that a less sophisticated drinker will probably not enjoy.  My brothers were huge fans of the Great Lakes Christmas Ale while my Dad and I preferred the Frosted Frog.  I had Bro and her wife try Great Lakes and Frosted Frog side by side and they split on preference.  I think if your a big fan of bold flavors then Frosted Frog is the winner with Great Lakes a close second.

Update:  My cousin, who has been known to buy Great Lakes Christmas Ale by the case, preferred the Frosted Frog.  He agreed the Frosted Frog had a bolder flavor than Great Lakes.

Also, we had one Frosted Frog left from Thanksgiving, and my mother picked up several new bottles from the brewery a week before Christmas.  Dad and I poured the old bottle first.  Even though it was kept refrigerated we both thought the flavor was not as bold as we remembered and it reminded us of the aged version we previously tried.  We followed that up with a fresh bottle and it matched our recollections exactly.  Either we somehow got a bad bottle or Frosted Frog ages quickly.  I hesitate to use the word deteriorate, but it is clearly not the same beer it was just a month prior.  This confirms my suspicion that freshness is extremely important when it comes to Hoppin' Frog.

There Is A New Page!

I just put up an about page.  Check it out by clicking the "About" tab or this link.

Wine Drinkers and Beer

This months Wine Enthusiast Magazine, contained their list of the top 25 beers of the year.  I find it striking that  they take the time to review beer, and apparently do it on a regular basis.  When was the last time you picked up All About Beer or Draft Magazine and saw a five page spread on something that was not beer?  I took some time to go through the list, and it is diverse: light/ dark/ American/ Czech/ Belgian and covers a variety of beer styles.  Unfortunately, I can only claim to have had eight of these brews.

We in the beer community get very focused on our beer.  Now I am a huge beer fan obviously, but Sunday nights I usually have a glass of scotch.  When I cook a fancy dinner for someone it usually requires a bottle of wine, and I keep a cocktail recipe book right next to my beer books.  I am not suggesting the magazines above change their format, and I will likely not change my format.  However, I do think it is important to remember there are a lot of people out there who just dabble in craft beer.  Dabbling is not a bad thing; it is certainly important enough for Wine Enthusiast to make it an article, and why arn't you dabbling in something besides beer?


Special thanks to Ed for sending me this article.

Why Can I Not Keep Up?

I have been comparing myself to several other beer blogs and twitter people and felt like I should be producing five to ten times the volume I currently am.  Then I started to really take a look at what is out there.  The first thing I noticed was press releases.  Many of these blogs are taking press releases and pasting them into blogs with no additional information.  The goal of this blog will not be free advertising.  I expect that you expect thoughtful commentary on issues.  That brings me to the second thing I found: reposting of another blogs idea with the only additional comment of agreeing or disagreeing.  I find it distatseful to not contribute to the conversation.

I have a stated goal for this blog about making it thoughtful and original.  If I can not produce something worth reading then why bother writing.  I know the more I post the higher the readership, but I do not want to trade off more hits on this blog for quality.  

Finally, I wish to apologize.  This site has become really focused on beer reviews.  I would like beer reviews to be just a fraction of what you can find.  I am in the process of preparing articles in six areas:

• Tough Topics
• Location Reviews
• Hosting Beer Events
• Beer Styles
• Beer Reviews
• Beer Ingredients.

Some of these subject areas are more difficult to prepare than others.  I am attempting to write a few weeks material in advance before each series comes out, and still try to keep up with daily posting.

Why the people who sell beer annoy me....

I really want a bottle of Samuel Adams Infinium.  I don't know why, I just do.  I first stopped into Binny's out in Downers Grove on the release date.  Their truck is a day late.  I hear it is selling fast so I call Binny's Beverage on Grand Ave and ask nicely if they have one.  The man says yes.  I ask for one to be held.  He replied that Binny's does not hold beer.  I know this is untrue, because they do it all the time.  I even offered to pay by phone.  A few hours later I trudge in ask where they are and I am promptly told all the bottles are spoken for and waiting for people to come pick them up. 

The manager was less than helpful.  He did say he would call me if someone did not pick theirs up, but made no effort to check about transferring a bottle from another store.  Blows me away, that no one seemed to consider how valuable a customer can be, especially a customer who is looking for a specific beer.  Binny's is now the main player in Chicago's beer retail segment.  However, there are plenty of other small shops looking to play David and Goliath.  Binny's really needs to begin to take the craft beer market seriously and look at treating it more like wine in their service level.

As for me in my quest for Infinium: My brother stumbled across three cases in Ohio and bought a few bottles, and he is not impressed.  I will let you know my thoughts after the holidays.

#14 of 1001 Hibernation Ale by Great Divide

After spending all of the weekend snowed in, I felt Hibernation Ale by Great Divide was a wise choice for Sunday night.  Now I know the folks out in Denver are laughing at my measly Chicago storm, but I do not care.  Hibernation Ale is brewed in the summer and aged by the brewery for a few months until release, usually in November.  I am told this beer will age well.  However, I got this lone bottle off a singles shelf in Ohio so one beer is all I got.  I do think in the future I will try to find a six pack and age it a year.  It is worth noting that the side of the bottle brags about the well deserved Gold and two Silver medals from GABF .

Tasting Notes:
Poured into my Great divide glass it made a nice khaki head that gave off a chocolate and spice aroma.  The non-scientific descriptor of taste here is "warm".  Flavors of dark fruit, some alcohol, caramel and malt notes balance with a solid hop presence.  Hibernation Ale had a surprisingly full mouthfeel, but I found it to be an excellent winter beer.

Hamburger Mary's- Chicago, IL

Hamburger Mary's located in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago is a combination of three spaces.  Mary's is comprised of Hamburger Mary's restaurant, Mary's Attic a performance space and nightclub, and Mary's Rec Room a sports bar.  The brewer, Brandon Wright, is a self taught home-brewer who brewed out of necessity while living in Saudi Arabia.  (Yes, drinking beer is a necessity)

In summary decent beer, great food and fun atmosphere, but read the details before going.

The Beer:
Overall, good $5 beer, but there is some room for improvement.

Mary's has all the macro drafts people like me hate.  At the same time Mary's usually has about four drafts of on premise brewed beer and four special reserve options in bottles.  Additionally, mead makes a regular appearance on the special reserve list.  Mary's really is a nano-brewery where beer produced is better measured in gallons than barrels.  The beer here is inventive and locally produced both of which are big hits in the Andersonville bar scene.

Unfortunately, the quality of the beer can be hit or miss.  While the brewer definitely pushes boundaries with beer like Sweet Potato Ale and Oatmeal Cookie Stout amongst others, he has quality control issues.  Problem number one is that batches of brew are not always consistent from one to another.  I have gone in and ordered a beer and ordered the same beer a few weeks later to only encounter a totally different flavor.

Additionally, sometimes a metallic off flavor occurs in the beer.  I know the brewer boils in the kitchen and uses pails to cart beer into the fermenters.  I theorize there is a huge opportunity to impart metal flavors into beer and possibly contamination.  Mary's needs to really dedicate space for a proper small scale brewhouse.

I would say beer more often than not is a hit instead of a miss.  I think with construction of a proper brewhouse and more formal training on the brewing process will greatly assist Mary's beer making adventures. Additionally, the staff is very uneducated about the beer selection with the one exception of Alexie.  Sorry, but that girl knows her stuff.

The Food:
Mary's has a great selection of $10 burgers and a few entrées.  Remaining conscious of the needs of others Mary's lets you transform almost any red meat selection into chicken or a vegetarian option.  There are also those naughty treats you want to try, but are a little scared of, like deep-fried Twinkies.

The Atmosphere:
The Attic and original restaurant areas are eclectic, flashy and flamboyant while the Rec Room is much more subdued and has several TVs.  Mary's is constantly having events from bingo night to trivia check out their calendar here for a chance to have a good time.

Beer Review: Pipeline Porter by Kona Brewing Company

Kona's Pipeline Porter is the last beer I drank as part of the Open It! online event.  This beer is my brother's favorite beer, and when I went to Vegas I brought him back a six pack as an early Christmas gift.  He was pretty blown away, he expected just one, lonely single bottle.  Pipeline is a highly regarded Porter and only has a limited bottling run each year.  Coffee flavors in this beer are not just from malt, but also from 100% Kona coffee that is added to each batch.

Tasting Notes:
Poured a deep brown into a Pipeline Porter shaker pint and a nice tan head formed.  Strong coffee aroma with malt and chocolate behind it.  Coffee also dominates the flavor profile of this beer.  The malt brings a nice sweetness and there is no bitterness from the coffee as one expects.  A very smooth beer with nice carbonation and balance.  Definitely worth picking up given the chance.

Hercules Double IPA by Great Divide Brewing Co.

I picked up Hercules Double IPA when I was in Denver, and this has been lurking in the back of my fridge.  I decided that Open It! was the right time to bring that bottle to the front.

Tasting Notes:
Hercules poured amber with a medium white head and left some lacing on the side of my stemmed tulip glass.  Aromas of pine and caramel balance nicely with the citrus, tropical fruit and malt flavors.  This was a smooth well balanced beer with good carbonation for the style.  This was one of the few beers I was lucky to buy direct from the brewery and I do not regret it.

White Rajah by The Brew Kettle

The third beer of the Open It! weekend was White Rajah by The Brew Kettle in Strongsville, Ohio.  White Rajah IPA was not exactly a beer that I was saving for a special occasion, but rather just never seemed to get too.  The moment never seemed to come.  From my understanding this was a one time batch from The Brew Kettle, and is a shame as it is a very good beer.

Tasting Notes:
Poured a hazy yellow from a 22oz bottle creating a one finger head and some lacing.  A strong citrus and tropical fruit aroma.  Citrus and other fruit flavors are dominate in this beer, but nowhere near as bold as the aroma. White Rajah has a dry sweet finish that leaves you wanting more.  I wish they would brew more of this so I could get some next time I pass through Ohio.

Fire Rock Pale Ale by Kona Brewing Co.

I first had Fire Rock at a pool bar in Florida.  I ordered a different beer and then belatedly noticed a  tap handle I had never seen before.  I used my good looks and charm to get the bartender to pour me a free sample.  I immediately fell in love with this one.  It became my mission to get to Kona, Hawai'i.  In March I made it there and tried every beer they had on tap or bottle.

Now this beer has not been waiting for a special occasion.  I have been saving the glass for a special occasion.  My recent trip to Las Vegas allowed me to bring back a couple bottles of this brew.  The Kona Brewery shaker pint is made of blue glass.  This glass was to be my souvenir from Hawai'i.  Unfortunately, the glass was no longer sold due to consumer complaints about breakage.  Beer Bitch being the woman she is tracked down a set of two on eBay and gave me one heck of a good birthday gift.

Tasting Notes:
Poured into my blue glass and therefore you cannot see the color or head, but I can tell you  it is copper with about a one finger head that results in some superb lacing.  It has a nice citrus hop aroma, and is less hoppy than one would think for an American Pale Ale, but not bad. Flavors of pine and biscuit swirl together with a citrus finish.  A medium body with solid carbonation, this is an excellent Pale Ale and should not be missed if your in an are where Kona distributes.

No Pictures No Blog

Beer Bitch took the camera this morning.  I being a moron reminded her to take it, yet I failed to download my photos.  She will make fun of me.  This is why nice guys finish last.  Reviews to come tonight.

Old Chub by Oskar Blues

Welcome to my first blog post reviewing beers as part of Open It!.  Open It! is about opening beers that have been sitting on a shelf waiting for a special occasion.  This weekend is that special occasion.

Old Chub is a Scotch Ale by Oskar Blues of Lyons, CO.  I was saving it for that first cold, snowy night in Chicago.  Coincidentally, the first night of Open It! occurred on the first cold, snowy night in Chicago.  Like all Oskar Blues brews this beer comes in a can making it more shelf stable than its' buddies in bottles.  You can read more about the benefits of cans here.  I am glad this was the first beer for Open It! because it really hit the spot.


Tasting Notes:
Old Chub poured from the can into a shaker pint glass with a tan head and a dark brown color.  The nose has some alcohol with lots of malt aroma.  The creamy mouthfeel brings light smoke mingled with flavors of chocolate and coffee.  At 8% ABV its is not a session beer, but definitely drinkable.

Open It Weekend

This weekend is Open It Weekend.  I first heard about this event from Pencil and Spoon.  Any beer drinker has bottles of stuff he or she has been saving for a special occasion.  The idea behind Open It is that now is that special occasion.  All weekend I will be twittering using the hashtag #openit when I pop open another bottle or can.  I will have reviews of each beer on my blog this week.  Thanks to the people over at http://www.pencilandspoon.com/ and http://www.mybrewerytap.com/ for inspiring this!

Its Cold Outside

The first real winter storm of  2010-11 is rolling in.  Go out get yourself a winter warmer or two, and maybe some Christmas Ales and batten down the hatches.  In the next few days look for a story on Northeast Ohio Christmas beers, locations reviews and a website upgrade!  Enjoy your Friday!

Why I Am not Buying Rare Bourbon County Stout

The other day I was given a heads-up by a store on getting myself a bottle of Rare Bourbon County Stout by Goose Island.  I discussed whether to purchase Rare with Beer Bitch.  This discussion should send up a big red flag.  I never discuss beer purchases prior to purchase, much like she never asks what I think of her shoes.  Either way, purchases show up and the other person goes "Oh, what is that?"  I thought very, very hard on this and actually have a list of reasons why I am not buying it.

For your consideration:

1. I tried an early batch of Rare in the Spring at a Goose Island event.  While I know it was not the finished product, and Bourbon County Stout (BCS) usually takes a year to age once in the bottle.  At the time I was not impressed.
2. The name.  I could fire up a homebrew kit make a limited number of bottles, and call it rare.  Just because I call it rare does not mean it is a good beer.
3. We do not know if this is good beer.  This is a new recipe.  How do we know it is really worth it?  It might be indistinguishable from the regular BCS recipe.
4. Goose Island has had quality control issues.  We can all remember a recall of Matilda their flagship beer, and reports of contaminated taps at their brewpub.
5. Cost.  At $45 a bottle it may or may not be worth it.  Not that I am opposed to spending that amount for a bottle of beer, but I want to know it is worth it.  I have a sneaky suspicion this beer might only be worth a few dollars more than regular BCS.

Now I know in a few weeks many of you will likely point out positive Beer Advocate reviews or your own good experiences with this beer.  I think you should keep in mind a psychology theory known as confirmation bias. It is the idea that a person has a belief and will look for any evidence to confirm that they made a correct decision.  I hope if you bought a bottle you do not regret it.  If you did not buy a bottle and regret it please use my list to console yourself.  Hopefully you will end up believing it.

Frog's Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale by Hoppin' Frog

I despise sharing pumpkin beers.

Hoppin' Frog won a Gold Medal at the 2010 GABF in the Field Category with Frog's Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale.  This is the second Great American Beer Festival Gold medal winner in three years for this young brewery.  Pumpkin is a fast growing segment of the beer industry, and Hoppin' Frog's ability to land a gold shows that the brewer is no slouch.

Tasting Notes:
When poured from the bottle it produces a nice white head and a dark amber color with a nice amount of bubbles. The head produced a spicy aroma with nutmeg and clove standing out above the pumpkin.  A very light pumpkin flavor was dominated by pumpkin pie spices.  The beer lacks the bread flavors found in most pumpkin beer, but this is not a bad thing.  Overall the beer reminds me more of pumpkin pie filling than the whole pie.  A fizzy mouthfeel that creates a bit of a bite.  As the GABF medal attests this is a beer worth having.

Mean Manalishi by Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Yes I had to share :(

Mean Manalishi by Hoppin' Frog is a Double IPA weighing in at an "alleged" whopping 168 IBUs.  I say "alleged" only because a number of people argue that the International Bitterness Unit Scale can not realistically exceed 100 units.  However, IBUs shall be discussed another time.

Tasting Notes:
Poured slightly orange with a one finger head.  The nose had a sweet smell with a slight hint of pine and citrus.  An  earthy and grassy taste up front and back with a very strong hop presence.  The initial taste makes you think you grabbed a barleywine by mistake.  Medium bodied and moderately carbonated a beer that goes down, but not one you can drink over and over.  Beers like Mean Manalishi and Ruination IPA have such high IBUs that your palate can only sustain one beer in an evening.  I am not saying this is a bad beer, in fact I think it is excellent, just not as a session beer.

Bodacious Black & Tan from Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Bodacious Black & Tan by Hoppin' Frog Brewery of Akron, Ohio takes a draft treat and puts it in a bottle.  Typically requesting a black and tan results in Guinness Stout poured on top of Harp Lager.  However, over the years many local brews have taken the combination of a stout and lager and made it their own.  Bodacious is a bit different because Hoppin' Frog did not follow the typical pattern of stout over lager.  In  Bodacious the brewers took the brewery's GABF gold medal winning B.O.R.I.S the Crusher (Bodacious Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout) and blended it with their Hoppin' To Heaven IPA.  The use of an oatmeal stout and IPA bucks the usual decision of using an Irish Dry Stout and Lager.  This creates a beer with 65 IBUs, much higher than a typical black and tan.  If you are a fan of the layering effect created by a draft version of the black and tan, you are not going to get that in a bottle.  The two beers are throughly mixed together which means there is no beginning and no end to each beer.

Tasting Notes:
Pours a dark chocolate color and lacks the color definition in typical black and tan.  A medium bodied tan head forms from the pour.  Aromas of chocolate and, more unusual for the style, hops come to the nose.  A medium bodied, moderately carbonated beer with flavors of roasted coffee, chocolate, molasses and citrus.  The 2/3 IPA and 1/3 stout come out perfectly resulting in a very balanced beer.  Definitely a beer I would drink again.

Brew Masters: Bitches Brew Episode

Last Sunday Discovery Channel aired the first episode of Brew Masters.  The show follows Sam Calagione as he makes some of Dogfish Head's 31 annual brews.  The first episode followed Sam as he collaborated with Sony Music on Bitches Brew.  Bitches Brew is both a album and now a beer.  The album Bitches Brew was Miles Davis's first Gold Record, and is considered a highly influential piece by the music community.

The beer Bitches Brew is a blend of an African beer and a Russian Imperial Stout.  The African beer, Tej, was described by Calagione as coyingly sweet, and more like wine than beer. Tej is also higher in alcohol content.  The Russian Imperial Stout is lower in alcohol content and has a chocolate base.

I drank a bottle of this as I watched the show.  I found the show informative, but wished it would go deeper into some of the processes behind brewing.  For instance a deep explanation of the benefits and reasons why someone would want to blend beer would of been excellent.  A bottling line malfunction provided a useless distraction to the plot of the show.  I found it annoying that they made a big deal over having to throw out $7,000 worth of beer.  Which, by the way, was a false alarm.  While that is a lot of money, it is a drop in the bucket for an operation like Dogfish Head.

I know this was only the first episode so I do hope and believe a lot more about craft beer will be explained in future episodes.   For instance tonight Sam explores Chicha, also known as Spit Beer.  So please tune in tonight and get grossed out.

Tasting Notes:

Poured from a large format bottle into a Dogfish off-centered glass creating a thick, dark tan head that stuck around, yet created little lacing.  The aroma was sweet with very subtle hops, and at 9% ABV I could smell some alcohol.  The body was full with a velvety feel, and notes of roasted coffee and chocolate and a trace of smoke.  Wish I had some dark chocolate to pair with it.

Great Divide's Fresh Hop Pale Ale

We only see fresh hop or wet hop beers twice a year during the fall in the northern and southern hemisphere harvests.  To be a wet hopped beer the whole hop cones are used instead of the processed pellets in making the beer.  Unfortunately, hops are highly perishable.  In order to successfully make a wet hop beer the hops are picked, overnighted and used within hours.  This requires a bit of timing on behalf of the brewery in order to make sure they have a tank ready to go.

Great Divide's Fresh Hop gives off a grassy, citrus pine aroma.  Not as pungent as I expected, but not lacking.  The beer is amber in color with a thick white head that resulted in lacing as time went on.  There were hops up front and at the finish, with a resiny feel.  The malt balanced the beer out nicely.  Fresh Hop is very light on the tongue to the point the beer was almost gulp-able.  Bud Light could learn about "drinkability" from this beer.  I do regret only buying one, but hey, there is always next year.

Hemp Ale Update

Wednesday I posted that Nectar Ales has the only Hemp beer.  I was wrong.  I was promptly informed by a reader of O'Fallon Hemp Hop Rye.   This beer is also made with hemp seeds.  A six pack has been obtained and I hope to have a review and a comparison out to you all next week.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today Americans pause and remember what we are thankful for.  About a year after landing at Plymouth Rock and a successful harvest, the Pilgrims celebrated by holding the first Thanksgiving.  Beer played a role in getting them there.  They intended to settle farther south, but a lack of beer on board was one of the reasons the ship laid anchor at Plymouth Rock.  Beer in those times was lower in alcohol content and used as a way to keep water clean of disease.  

So in keeping with the spirit of the holiday I am thankful for:

• Beer Bitch
• A Bro
• A family to drink with
• My readers over 1,500 of you
• Finally, being sappy, all the other good things in life.   

#13 of 1001 Hemp Ale by Nectar Ales

Poster From Sampling Event 

Nectar Ales is a Brand of Firestone Walker.  According to the brewery rep who served this at the recent Motley Brews event in Las Vegas, Hemp Ale is the only hemp beer in production.  The ironic thing was as I asked for a sample the rep seemed to be unimpressed with the beer.  I seriously have never tried weed or weed brownies.  The closest comparison for me is the smell of a college roommate.  I can assure you this did not smell like cannabis, but I have no clue on the taste.  The seeds used in brewing this beer lack THC, the intoxicating compound in cannabis.  This beer lacks anything that screams special except that it is one of a kind.

Tasting Note:

Bottle into rinsed sample glass at Motley Brews event.

Malty with some hops.  Clean finish, and remarkably forgettable.

What I Am Bringing For Thanksgiving

Well Thanksgiving is upon us and I know many of you have been asked to bring something to a gathering.  Skip the kitchen; bring beer.  This year I decided to take home a brown ale.  Why a brown ale?  Brown ale have a complicated malty aroma, and a toasty caramel flavor.  This flavor/ aroma combination will go well with roasted meats and hearty foods.  Come to think of it, what is on your table?  More than likely a roasted turkey, although I think the combination would still work well for fans of deep fried turkey.

In selecting which beer I would bring I considered a couple factors.  First, I wanted a conversation starter.  I wanted a beer that my non-beer geek family members would be intrigued enough to try and talk about.  Second, I wanted a seriously good beer.

I decided on Flossmoor's Pullman Brown.  To be honest I did get the beer for free from my bottling day, but Pullman Brown was underconsideration prior to that.  This is my conversation starter.  I can look at family and say, "Hey! I helped get that in the bottle."  This fact alone may intrigue my crazy Uncle Jim who hates beer to give it a try.  Or he may not, he is crazy.  Secondly, Pullman Brown is without a doubt a good beer.  Multiple medals at GABF and WBC make it a solid contender.  Finally, on my bottling day I was telling Flossmoor's Brewer Bryan that I planned on a brown for the meal.  He agreed it would work.  

Please consider a unique beer for the holiday, and if your in Illinois you can look here for a list of places to buy a bottle, and if you live elsewhere find a good brown ale in your neighborhood.

Happy Thanksgiving, and of course please drink responsibly!

Everyone Should Try New Beer

Everyone should try new beer everyday.  I honestly believe that.  Unfortunately, we cannot all have a different beer everyday of our lives.  Most people however are creatures of habit.  We exhibit habitual behaviors because our brains are hard wired to do so.

For instance, I tend to avoid Belgian beers.  Why?  Esters (Aroma).  However, once in a while I try one and think, "this is pretty good."  I still do tend to shy away from the six packs of Belgians, but when there is a chance to take a sample I usually give it an open mind.

An excellent example of why people should try different beer recently happed to me at The Pub inside the Monte Carlo Hotel in Las Vegas.  I struck up a conversation with a gentleman a few barstools over.  He was telling me his style preferences and his favorite beers.  I asked him if he had ever had Kona's Pipeline Porter.  He indicated he had not, and that he had his beer comfort zone.  I asked the bartender to give him a sample off the tap.  A fingers worth of beer and a fingers worth of foam sat in front of the man from Detroit.  He took a look at it as if to say "Here goes nothing," and took a sip.  As the glass came from his lips he exclaimed "Holy Shit!"

For the first time in this guy's life he tried a porter he loved.  He thought it was an excellent beer and would look for it again.  His son joined him a short time later and he told his son about the beer.  When presented with the chance to try something new, he took the plunge.  I give him credit.  All to often I have seen people turn their head up at a sample.

For those beer novices out there, the cheapest way to try something new is ask for a sip.  I can not tell you how many times I have had a bartender slide over a few ounces of an unfamiliar beer.  Please do not abuse this though.  Make sure you order a drink as well, and it is nice to tip a bartender for the sip as well.  He/ she did not have to give you a sample on the house and in some situations could get in some serious trouble.

If you want to be a little more adventurous try a sampler.  Typically you will see samplers in bars that have numerous taps of craft beer.  Brewpubs almost always have some sort of sampler.  Samplers run the gamut on price from free for four samples at Great Divide, a few dollars at Goose Island, to $20 at Vegas bars.  Some places have a preset sampler, but many places will let you make your own.  When the menu shows a preset option, and a polite request for substitution is normally honored.  Try and pick a good group of beer.  Consider ordering some beers that have won medals and taste the beers lightest to darkest in color.  If your in a pub, I try to either stick to one style or one brewery.  Either way, you can never have too much fun running though a sampler.

Fire Up The DVR; It Is Time For Beer TV

That is right folks, tonight on the Discovery Channel two shows will have beer as a prominent focus. At 8:00/ 7:00 CST Dirty Jobs is airing an episode titled Beer Processing.  My DVR says the episode is new, but chicken sexer is listed as being the other half of the episode of the show.  My presumption is this is a repeat of a season one episode.  I recall that this episode gives a pretty thorough review of the brewing process, and of course focuses on sanitation.  I love the irony of a show called Dirty Jobs talking about sanitation.

Then at 10:00/ 9:00 CST is the main event, Brew Masters.  This is a new series on the Discovery Channel and will follow Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione around the world.  The promos of the show seem to lean towards Sam's more exotic brews.  I wish the show would cast a wider net.  I think people would be fascinated by more typical styles like porter and IPA.  Also, the series will only follow Sam around.  If the show continues into a second season it seems it should start featuring other brewers.  Either way, I am excited.  This will not just be a show for beer geeks, but will also start exposing a wider audience to craft beer.  Finally, if Discovery Channel is putting this on TV they must really think craft beer has a supportive audience.  This makes me wonder when we will see TV commercials for craft beer.

Tune in tonight to see what happens!

Post Road Pumpkin Ale by Brooklyn Brewery

Although not prevalent from the marketing, Post Road Pumpkin Ale is a product of Brooklyn Brewery.  I have often wondered why such a fine beer does not proudly proclaim the Brooklyn name.  The rumor is that Post Road was the name of the brewery bought by Brooklyn that owned this recipe.  However, I still do not understand the lack of updated packaging.

Post Road is a beer I must buy each fall.  I only have a couple beers each season that I insist on having and this one makes the cut.  When poured from a bottle into a pint glass you should see a medium white head that will dissipate.  The beer has an orange tinge to the normal amber color and has solid pumpkin pie aroma. When drinking Post Road, you taste a distinct maltiness coupled with bitterness and a light body.  The beer finishes crisp and dry.

With a 5% ABV this is a beer you can sit around and drink all night.  I recommend serving Post Road between dinner and dessert if your the host separates the two.  Either way, Post Road Pumpkin Ale is a must have for the fall season.

#12 of 1001 90 Shilling by Odell Brewing Co.

Another in the Series based off of the book 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die (1001 (Universe)).

Odell Brewing Co. named their amber ale 90 Shilling after a Scotish tax.  Tax authorities there at one time taxed the highest quality beer at 90 Shillings.  The owners and brewers of Odell must of thought they had something special when they named this beer.  This was a well done, solid amber, but not fantastic.  Maybe it was the high expectation of the name, but I was slightly disappointed.  Of all the Odell beers I have had this year, this one lacked the POW, BAM, and BOOM of the others.

Tasting notes:
Poured from a bottle into a pint glass, this copper colored beer formed a medium head.  Malty, caramel aromas wafted to the nose.  Medium bodied it went down somewhat fruity, with a trace of chocolate and a nutty aftertaste.

Hey Scientists! Of Course Cavemen Had Beer!

This week both Fox News and MSNBC report on how beer may have "lubricated" civilization.  Scientists now believe that early Neolithic people drank beer at celebrations. Scientists also believe early man likely spent considerable time making and procuring ingredients for beer.  It is no coincidence that beer has a big role in history. Fermented beverages show up in virtually every culture.  There is a Sumerian poem to Ninkasi the patron goddess of brewing.  Dogfish Head has a beer based on an archeological dig in present day Honduras.  It is further appropriate to note the role beer played in early American history.

September, 1620 a group of individuals left England for a New World on board the Mayflower.  Those individuals, the Pilgrims, ran out of beer on their voyage.  Beer was not just a drink of celebration, but also one of survival.  It is believed many people for a better part of history have received vital nutrition from grain through beer.  Additionally, weak beer was used to keep water from being contaminated on ships.  If the Pilgrims had more beer many theorize they would of continued to sail south to the Mid-Atlantic, instead of Plymouth Rock.  That decision would of delayed settlement of the Northeast, and possibly meant that each November millions of Americans would not stuff themselves full of turkey and drink beer while watching football.

Beer has without a doubt played huge roles in history.  Its precursor, Mead, was prominent in the Old English poem Beowulf the bane of existence of modern high school students.   German beer purity laws are the oldest food purity laws recorded.  Common American Macro Lager was established as a way to satisfy desires of German immigrants.  Prohibitionists used Anti-German immigrant feelings to establish prohibition in the United States.  Guinness has become the identifying drink of Ireland.

Beer has woven itself into everyday life.  No ball game or holiday seems complete for many without a beer around.  Watch a TV, show many times characters walk in the door from work and simply grab a beer.  My point is beer is nothing new, and I am surprised science is just now figuring out how integral beer has been to the human race from the beginning.

Huffington Post Asks Users For Ridiculous Beer Names

The Huffington Post is currently asking readers to submit photos to a series titled: The Most Ridiculous Beer Names Of All Time.  Unfortunately, there is no discussion regarding why some brewers use unusual or offensive names.  I think there are two main reasons: attitude and marketing. Often these two work together.  Take a look at Arrogant Bastard.  The beer is so bold that when it was initially made it would have been called an arrogant bastard by acquaintances.  Seriously, who has not meet a bold, ignorant offensive guy and not at least muttered arrogant bastard under your breath.  At the same time though a name like this is guaranteed to capture the eye of a young man pursuing the beer aisle.  Other beers I think are named purely for publicity.  Polygamy Porter from Wasatch Brewpub and Brewery in Park City, Utah had to know this name was going to stir up a debate when released.  More than once reports have surfaced about the advertising of their beer.  This generates so much free publicity that if you have the creative mind to name the beer a crazy name why not?

Head over to Huffington Post check out the photos and have a good laugh.  Also, maybe it is just me, but I think most of the naughty names come out over the holiday season so go get a drink too!

#11 of 1001 Arrogant Bastard by Stone Brewing Co.

Another in the Series based off of the book 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die (1001 (Universe)).


Yes I know I been drinking a lot of Stone lately, but Beer Bitch got me the glassware and I felt like the glasses needed to be used properly.  Arrogant Bastard according to my 1001 book is the best selling craft beer.  I like Stone for a couple of reasons.  One, Stone does not use cascade hops making them the outcast of brewing.  I love cascade hops, but Stone is crafty enough to produce some great hoppy flavors without it.  Secondly, they make beer, well that is arrogant.  Stone makes beer with flavor, and their phoilosphy is if you dont like it, don't drink it.


Tasting notes
Poured with a good head, deep red in color with solid lacing.  Big Bold flavor with hops saying "How do you do?"  Actually leaves a tingle on the roof of the mouth.  A rich maltiness is also present.

Sweet Potato Ale by Hamburger Mary's

Sweet Potato Ale from Hamburger Mary's is one of those fruit/ vegetable beers you do not expect to see when walking into a bar. Bro gave me the heads up on this one and she said I really needed to try it.  We headed over recently and ordered a couple bottles.  Bro really liked the beer, I did not.  Then again I think sweet potatoes are icky so it was a long shot.

Like all Mary's Special Reserves it was poured from a bottle resulting in a deep amber color as it filled a globe glass with a thick head.  The beer had a sweet aroma with cinnamon, nutmeg, and sweet potato.  The sweet potato carried through in the flavor with a bit of brown sugar and caramel.  A fizzy medium bodied beer is not one that could be drank all night,  but could easily be enjoyed by a person who likes sweet potatoes.

I tried to find out what type of base beer it was and the ingredients.  The server politely explained that since he was not the brewer he can not tell me anything about the beer.  I though this was a shame.  If the brewer took the time to write a short spiel on house beer and kept it at the serving station it would enhance the brand.  In reality I tip better when servers know their stuff.  Instead, the beer drinker leaves feeling a bit left short.

In conclusion, if you like sweet potato and you are in the neighborhood this is a beer worth sitting down to, and if your like me and you think it icky they have plenty of others to choose from.

Why Cascadian Dark Ale is confusing.

Yesterdays Brewers Association newsletter had a story by brewer Matt Van Wyk on the Black IPA name debate.  Van Wyk currently of Oakshire Brewing, and formally of Flossmoor Station Brewing Company where I bottled earlier this week is an excellent brewer.  Please stop go read his article here and come back.  Thank you.

He raises six points towards the end of his article on why all the other names suck.  While agree with him.  Cascadian is wrong for a very similar reason.  He points out that many of the assumptions in the other names are confusing to the novice drinker.  His argument for the Cascadian name relies heavily on the Cascadian region being the cradle of this beer.  While a decent point, he forgets that most drinkers from novice to expert will likely assume Cascade Hops must be an ingredient.  It is a common ingredient, but not a required ingredient.  A decision to go with this name may confuse a number of people, and in the end may force the style into requiring cascade hops.

While a number of names have been thrown out there, and none seem to suffice. I propose four alternatives:

1. Hopped Black Ale 
2. Hopped Dark Ale.  
3. American Black Ale
4. American Dark Ale

I know you will likely think it sounds stupid, but do you have a better idea?

My Bottling Day At Flossmoor

Flossmoor Station Brewing Co. is one of my favorite breweries.  Yesterday, their brewer Bryan Shimkos sent out an SOS that he needed help ASAP on his bottling line.  Like a firefighter running to his truck, I was on my way.  He offered beer and lunch as a reward.  To be honest, I wanted material for the blog and a chance to pick the brain of a young brewer.  Bryan answered every question I asked him from the brewing process to beer trends.  I can honestly say I enjoyed my day.  Here is an in-depth look at bottling the Flossmoor way.

Bright Tank

Before I arrived, Bryan had already pumped the Pullman Brown Ale (Previous Review) over to a bright tank located in a basement cooler.  A bright tank is  where secondary fermentation occurs and can also serve as a serving tank.

Phil Connors

At this point, I should introduce you to Phil Connors.  Phil is a nice guy, but somewhat temperamental and has a slight handicap.  Oh, and by the way, Phil is the bottling machine.  Yes, like all good breweries Flossmoor named their bottling machine.  Phil Connors is the character Bill Murray played in the movie Groundhog Day.  He should be able to fill four bottles at once, but today was only able to handle three.  Before filling the bottles the bottling machine needed to be sterilized.  This is done by flushing it with sterilizer.  A very painless process.  To be honest I was expecting a little more dirt, grime and struggle here.

When Bryan was satisfied that Phil had bathed adequately we went over to Flossmoor's other basement and hauled over a plastic wrapped pallet of boxes and empty bottles.  Flossmoor has their label screen-printed directly on the bottle.  I think this is classy.  The downside to being classy is not mentioning your age therefore no date codes exist on Flossmoor bottles.  Once the plastic is off the pallet we placed adhesive labels and stamped the date code on the boxes.  This date code is the only way to track a batch of beer back to the source.

We then set up the tables for bottling.  One table is for the rinsed bottles and a second is for packaging.  Bryan also set up the bottle rinser.  Now this is a fancy piece of equipment.  The bottle rinser is composed of a large trash can filled with sanitizer and a PVC tube grid laid across the top.  Twelve small pipes stick out of the PVC each with a hole drilled in the end.  Placing the bottles on the pipes and turning the pump on would squirt sanitizer to the bottom of the upside down bottle and rinse the sides on the as it ran down.  Each round of bottles are washed for two minutes.  The bottles are then moved to a rack where they wait upside down.

Hanging Bottles

Hanging the bottles upside down accomplishes two main goals.  First, the sanitizer drains.  Second, nothing can fall into an upside down bottle.  To ensure sanitation only 48 bottles are out at a time.  If sanitation is moving along faster than filing bottles with beer, it is temporarily stopped.

Phil has three available pucks that bottles are placed in.  The puck pulls the bottle back where the dispenser comes down.  Phil creates an airtight seal on the bottle and begins a multi-step process.

1. Double evacuation of oxygen using two bursts of carbon dioxide
2. Pressurization of the bottle 
3. Beer is pumped in through a tube that runs to the bottom of the bottle

Filling the bottles.

As Phil is filling bottles Bryan slid caps into the capper at the front of Phil.  After filled with beer the pucks push forward and the capper drops down to seal the bottle.  This is followed by a quick visual check of the fill level and cap placement and a quick dunk in sanitizer.  The first round of filled bottles are considered less than ideal.  These beers were our "quality control" bottles as we worked.  Yes, quality control in quotation marks means we drank them as we worked.  Additionally, bottle breakage is a danger.  As the bottles pressurize, damaged or defective bottles can explode.  In fact we had two.  One bottle had a quarter size piece blow out the side and another bottle had a full explosion.  In all reality, breakage can be dangerous.  Bryan recounted stories of how flying glass has pierced his shirt.  Finally, a second assitant packs the bottles into cases of 12 and stores in a cooler until picked up or sold to customers at the brewery.  

Finished pallet with my case missing!

Bottling took the whole day.  I showed up about 10:30 and stayed until about 5:00.  A day in a dark cold basement is likely not the glamorous lifestyle we all think brewers have.  However, I did get to take a case home.  While I can not claim to be anymore than a cellarman I took pride in finishing my day with this beer at home.

And what am I doing with my beer?  Well that is another post.

Porters and Stouts

Every fall people start asking me to explain the difference between a porter and stout.  The answer not much, but a whole lot.  The history of these two beers have crossed paths, and I am sure someone could write a book on the history of porter alone.  Here is a quick summation of the difference and the similarity.

• Both are dark, bitter and have roasted coffee and chocolate flavors.
• Stouts will be darker and more intense.
• Porters will have a lighter body.
• Stouts will have a bigger head.

How is that for a crash course?  Now you should know there are variations of both these styles, but for today I think you have learned enough.  If you really want to know more, drink a porter then drink a stout.  Get a sampler and try them side by side.  The only way to really begin to know beer is not by instruction, but by living it.  Now please, go drink some beer!

More Beer Coming To Evanston?

Yesterday TribLocal ran a story on how distillers and brewers have their eye on Evanston, IL as a new home.  Evanston is the former home of Frances Willard, a champion of this pesky thing called Prohibition.  Evanston has residually embraced a certain degree of anti-alcohol mentality.  More than once I have heard, "You think Chicago's liquor laws are bad head up to Evanston."  Distillers and brewers alike point out this is an excellent way to create a few jobs, but more likely to drive visitors to the city.

Read the full article here.  Please if your a resident of Evanston make sure you tell your elected officials how you feel about this.

Sam Adams Changes the Chocolate Bock

The pewter label was such a nice touch.

On a Friday afternoon grocery run I came across the Sam Adams Winter Classics Sampler Pack.  The Chocolate Bock has replaced the Cranberry Lambic.  While I am not sad to see the Cranberry Lambic go, I was sad to see the Chocolate Bock exclusively in a sampler.

Up until this year, the Chocolate Bock has been released in a 750ml bottle.  In  the past I would enjoy one and put a few away to age.  I just do not normally see the value in cellaring a 12 oz bottle.  Typically, I share the beer I cellar and I find it a pain to manage a large number of 12 oz bottles.  Furthermore, I am not going to buy several sampler packs to have enough Chocolate Bock to cellar.

I am also afraid this decision will change the perception of this beer.  When Chocolate Bock was in a big fancy bottle you knew it was special.  I wonder if people will just pass over it now like it is not as good of a beer anymore.  On the upside, it will likely mean more people will be exposed to this great beer.  Most people I know who like good beer do not take the time to invest in the large format bottles.  I really wish Sam Adams went the extra mile and pushed this beer into four or six packs.  Alternatively, Sam Adams could keep the large format bottle with the hope people try it in a sampler and then go to the store and buy more.  Sam Adams is the only brewery I know of that releases beers only as a sampler and not as a full blown release.

In the end, it is not horrible that the 12 oz bottle was released, I just want this beer to be more accessible.  Sam Adams seasonals are among my favorite beers I only wish  I could drink them more often.

Site Updates and Changes

A cold has stopped me in my tracks, and I am unable to properly review beer and locations for the last few days.  However, I want to take a moment to tell you all what is happening and going to happen with the site.

First, thank you for reading.  Since going public I have had over 1,200 articles read.  Way more than I thought would happen and visits have been above average for food and drink blogs.  Most visits come from the U.S. but I did break out a map to see where Estonia and Mauritius are located.  Also, a pretty vibrant Japanese readership has developed.  Please leave comments.  I love reading what people think.

What is coming in the blog?

1. Turn it into a site.  The blog will remain the focus, but I will start building in resources for readers to dig deeper into some topics.
2. Re-tagging all beer posts to include style.  This will allow readers to see all beers in their chosen style with one click on the tag cloud.
3. Comprehensive list of all beer reviewed on the site on a dedicated page.
4. Location reviews.
5. Comprehensive list of all locations reviewed in the blog on a dedicated page.
6. Mission statement, biography, and contact information.
7. Anything people leave in comments that I think is doable.

I also got a few surprises up my sleeve, but not ready to make them public yet.  Please keep coming back.  I hope to continue the habit of daily updates and giving you a worthwhile read.  Thanks for reading!

Deconstruction Ale by Odell Brewing Co.

Deconstruction Ale is part of the Odell Brewing Co. Single Serve Series.  Odell brews a great deal with their pilot system in order to get feedback from consumers.  The beers in this series are a limited release in 750 ml bottles of the most popular pilot beers.  When I first drank this beer it was with one of the brewers on the patio of Odell Brewing Co, and decided it was worth bringing a bottle back for a fuller examination.

Typically when a beer is barrel aged it is done so in one type of barrel.  Deconstruction Ale is blend of 44% straight ale, 33% oak aged, 20% bourbon barrel aged and 3% wine barrel aged.  I must also say aging in old wine barrels is also outside the norm.  This beer comes in at 10.5% ABV, which is typical of barrel aged beer.  I poured this beer into a snifter forming a nice thick head that had some staying power.  Golden in color and a bit fizzy with a full mouthfeel.  Deconstruction started sweet and turned tart pinching your cheeks as you finish.  I am not typically a fan of Golden Ales, but I did enjoy this one.

Woodcut No. 4 by Odell Brewing Co.

The Woodcut series by Odell Brewing Co. is a series of beers based on barrel aging in a certain type of barrel.  Odell purchased new medium toasted American Oak barrels back in 2007 and this style of barrel has been used since.  The beers in this series are all brewed using Odell's pilot system before being chilled and placed in barrels.  While stainless steel tanks impart no flavor into beer, wood barrels do.  Often barrels are previously used to make whiskey or bourbon before sold to breweries to age beer.  This makes Odell's choice a bit unusual.  I have only been lucky enough to try No. 4, their latest release,  and I can say the barrels provided the right amount of flavor.  Besides we have enough bourbon barrel aged beers out there.

When I got off the plane from Denver my suitcase was dripping and I could smell beer.  I had bubble wrapped all the beer so my mind immediately jumped to the cork in this bottle.  Alas, it was safe.  In fact I had some difficulty getting the cork open.

 No. 4 is a Double Märzen-Style Lager.  I poured bottle #4796 into a pint glass revealing a copper hue and a medium, light head.  Aromatics of vanilla and almond waft up and a little cinnamon and nutmeg.  The beer had a slight carbonation with a full body and a bit of alcohol that gave way to the mellowness of oak tannins and warm flavors of fall.  At 11% ABV this does pack a bit of punch.  If you happen to get your hands on a bottle, I recommend a cool evening with a good friend and relaxing conversation for this beer.

St. Lupulin by Odell Brewing Co.

St. Lupulin is an Extra or American Pale Ale by Odell Brewing Co. in Fort Collins, Colorado.  St. Lupulin is not actually a saint, but rather a character the brewery made up.  Lupulin is in fact real.  This compound found in hops contains aromatic oils creating much of the aroma and a resiny consistency containing acids for bittering.

St. Lupulin comes in at a slightly hefty 6.5% ABV.  When poured into your pint glass it gives off aromas of hops, citrus, orange and a slight bready malt note.  There is a delightful amber hue with a moderate light colored head. Medium carbonation gives way to a smooth body with hop and floral flavors.

I tried this out in Colorado, and bought a jacket.  It takes a bit to get me to buy clothes from a brewery, but St. Lupulin had what it takes.

#10 of 1001 Odell Brewing Co. IPA

Another in the Series based off of the book 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die (1001 (Universe)).

I stopped by Odell when I went out to Denver, and was successful in bringing a couple bottles of the IPA back.  The IPA has eight hop additions using a specially designed hop back.  A hop back is a tank acting like a strainer to assist in adding additional hop flavor.  The bottle explains that the beer is an Americanized version of of an English IPA.  Not sure if that matters.  Most beers in the U.S. are an Americanized version of some beer somewhere, but I digress.

Tasting Notes:
Poured a nice thick foamy head, with bubbles coming to the surface.  A fruity aroma.  Citrus on the tongue and very herbal in quality.  Finishes dry and lingers on your palate.

#9 of 1001 Odell Brewing Company Cutthroat Porter

Another in the Series based off of the book 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die (1001 (Universe)).

Cutthroat Porter was originally brewed at the request of a tavern in Fort Collins, Colorado and named after the state fish.  This was one of the first beers Odell started brewing, which made it convenient to take back home in the suitcase.  In all honesty, this is one of my most favorite porters of all time.  I seriously could drink this one all day, now if they would only sell it in Chicago.

Tasting Notes:
Pours a deep black with a thin tan head.  (Although the book calls it a rich tan head)  Smells of coffee and chocolate.  Has a light mouthfeel with a gentle smokiness.  Comes off a bit more hoppy than one expects.

Odell Brewing Co. Week Is Coming!

Starting Monday my posts for the week will cover Odell Brewing Co. of Fort Collins, Colorado.  Look for a review of the operation overall as well as several of their beers.  I was lucky enough to visit a short time ago, and decided I would create a virtual visit for all of you.  Stay tuned posts should be up each morning.

Hop Harvest

Just and FYI to you all a lot of the fresh harvested hop beers are out.  Go out and get some beer made with fresh whole hops.  It will be a few months before the harvest from the other hemisphere comes around.  Sorry for not having a longer post about it, but I am attempting to make a quick road trip with a brewery or two mixed in.

Guinness Stout vs. Lager

Black Lager

In Chicago and possibly a few other markets Guinness did a test run of a black lager under the Guinness name.  Guinness is an iconic brand and one that does not seem to have the negative connotations of Miller, Bud etc. in the craft brew community.  In fact, I think that many of us in a bar without a craft selection, would likely default to Guinness.  Guinness is so iconic you likely think only of the Irish Dry Stout, and probably forget the brewery name is St. James Gate.  I checked beeradvocate's list of beers bearing Guinness and found a Bitter Draft, and an Irish Red.  These are the only other times the Guinness name has been placed on a label that was not a stout.

Given that these are both dark beers and Guinness is on the label I thought it would be fun to compare stout to lager.  I know this is almost like apples and oranges, but they put the name on it.  Special thanks to Bro for helping compare the two.

Stout on Left Lager on Right