Day 2...Insanity is near...

I'm always amazed at how my 9 year old son is completely incapable of entertaining himself...until I realize that I suck at it too.  This is our second day of being house-bound due to "Superstorm Sandy", or whatever we're calling this latest weather catastrophe, and I am bored out of my head!  There are of course, things I could be doing.  I choose to ignore these things and instead wander around the house aimlessly, occasionally stopping to hear about the Skylanders game that has probably been going on far longer than it should have.  So here's my solution...

This should be in tulip glass...just for the record.

Now before you get all judgemental on me...despite the fact that I was trapped in my house by the poor judgement of the local school system, I avoided beer until 5 o'clock on the nose yesterday...no joke!  AND what you see in the glass is exactly what I just drank at...umm...well...almost five o'clock somewhere that I am not.  Actually, this is the last of what was in that bottle, which I (reluctantly) opened last Monday night.  Oude Tart is apparently a highly regarded sour ale...a flemish style red to be exact.  Sour beers are not exactly my thing, but 1) I am always trying to improve my understanding of different beer styles, and 2) Greg the beer guy cut me a break on an otherwise $21 bottle of beer...just so I would try it.  So I did. 

I'll be honest and say when I first opened the bottle and tried it, my first instinct was to pour the rest down the drain!  SERIOUSLY tart beer-the label is not misleading.  But, I felt that dumping a beer so many others would have enjoyed was wrong, so I sucked it up (I am SUCH a trooper...).  I can honestly say that I'm not sorry I did.  Once the beer sat for a bit (I can assure you that I did not drink this in a real hurry...) it was...tolerable.  Knowing I wasn't drinking the whole bottle myself in one night (keep the sarcasm to a minimum here people), I stoppered it and wondered how long it would be before I was brave enough to try it again.  Over the past week I have occasionally poured a small amount into a glass, and am shocked to admit that I actually started to enjoy drinking it.  Today was the final pour, and although I'm not rushing out to grab another bottle, I can honestly say I would drink it again.  I might buy it and bury it in the back of the fridge (behind all the other bottles) to age a bit and maybe take the edge off the tartness, but I know that at some point I would look forward to opening it, hopefully amongst some other brave souls willing to try something new.

In other beer nerd news, I just started reading a book on IPAs in my never ending quest to perfect my own recipe. 

It starts off with a bit of history on the style, which I appreciate because the other cool hobby I have is reading history.  Within the first few pages of the book I learned that I should have been a sailor in my former life (or maybe I was?)!  Not only does the language come naturally to me, but they were allotted a GALLON of beer per day on their voyages!  HELLO?! A gallon?  No wonder those trips took so long!  They were all drunk and going in the wrong damn direction half the time...just like me!  I may have missed my calling.

To all those suffering the wrath of Sandy, my thoughts are with you.  May your troubles be short lived.  Stay safe, and save the beer!

Cheers!
Becky

P.S. The Bruery also makes an Autumn Maple beer that I must say is pretty fantastic!  It's a Belgian brown that sneaks up on you when you don't realize it is a 10% ABV.  Perfect fireside beer...

Liquid Assets

It's been awhile, so I'm just jumping right back in....

For two days I've been home sick with strep throat (I thought only children got this,  but perhaps the fact that I managed to get it speaks to my mentality...).  After trying desperately to "rest"-for Moms this includes a day filled with laundry, cooking, and baking muffins, helping with homework, you get the idea-I decided to address an issue that has been in the back of my mind for awhile.  Every time I go grocery shopping and face the daunting task of returning home to shove it all in cupboards already filled with other stuff, I notice that the fridge is always a little short on space for things like milk and juice.  Let me show you why.

Now I know those of you who have read my blog previously are not surprised, but here is the real issue.  This is not just the beer in my fridge, it is ONLY (with maybe one or two exceptions) the dark, high alcohol, bourbon barrel aged beer.  It's in the "food" fridge, because the "beer" fridge is a puny, dorm room sized thing (Dear Santa...) and the big bottles don't fit.  PLUS, the "beer" fridge is full too (but that's just the "everyday" stuff).  So, why so many bombers of unconsumed beer you ask?  Well, I'm not entirely sure, but I have a few ideas.

1) I am a lightweight, and most of these beers (anywhere from 9-16% ABV), unless consumed with other people, will knock me on my a**.  And the "others" in this household are "lightweighter" than I am (as in 9:30 bedtime without drinking).
2) The romantic visions I have of pouring these beers consist of cold weather, a fire, and a day with nothing to do.  Since two out of these three things rarely happen around here, the opportunities to actually enjoy this beer, are few and far between.
3) I'm pretty sure I am a beer hoarder, and deserve my own reality tv show (if the little freak called Honey Boo Boo can have one..)

Clearly, there are two solutions here. One, drink it.  I can assure you, this WILL happen, although these all may be really well aged  by then, and I may be sharing them on bingo night in the "home".  Or two, stop buying the stuff.  Uh, yeah.  I can also assure you this WILL NOT happen.  And in this case I'll be sharing the beer with my new boyfriend after my husband sees this picture and kicks me out (we know he won't do this though. For proof, re-read the first paragraph of this post).

Ahhh, such is the life I lead and the gut wrenching dilemmas I face...perhaps I will share with you the final outcome when "Beer Hoarders" takes over the "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" slot on TLC.

Until then, Happy Friday!
Cheers!
Becky

P.S. Here is a picture of the "beer" fridge...see, I TOLD you it was puny!

The Search Continues!



21st Amendment Brewery
HELL or HIGH WATERMELON
4.9% ABV

Ok, ok.  I know what you are thinking.  This is a WHEAT beer (says so right there on the can) and I don't like wheat beers.  Or beer in cans for that matter. True, but no rules exist that say I can't keep trying them.  I am still searching for that elusive "summer beer" to alleviate some of the IPA blahs I have developed.  Still love them, still drink them, but I am definitely in a beer rut. 

So, here we have HELL or HIGH WATERMELON, a wheat beer from 21st Amendment Brewery.  I wish I had poured it in a little bit smaller glass.  The visual effect loses a little something when the beer doesn't fill the glass.  You can see how hazy it is.  Pours pretty well with a nice two finger head.  The head is short lived however and the beer leaves little lace.  The aroma is wheat up front with at slight hint of watermelon.  In the interest of full disclosure, I tried this on draft at Whole Foods before I decided to buy.  The scent of watermelon is present in the draft version, but I really didn't detect much in the pour from the can.  The flavor is all wheat.  I don't get much, if any, watermelon (it was there in the draft version also).  I do like the fact that this is a "sessionable" (you can drink a few without fear of toppling over...) beer because in my, uh, less than youthful state I find that a few at 7 or 8% can really do me in!

Very much a drinkable beer.  I'll have no problem enjoying these on the deck/patio with the onset of hot weather here in Richmond.  I would definitely suggest trying the draft version as it is much more impressive than the canned version (true for all beers for the most part). 



It doesn't suck!

 Ok, so I know my last post showed pictures of my first brew, which of course was an IPA.  Well, there it is!  I successfully transfered it from the "fermentor" (a slightly altered homebrew keg...) and carbonated it.  I fully expected this beer to be entirely undrinkable, but it's not bad for a first brew if I do say so myself!  I love the color, although I would be ok with it being a little lighter.  The aroma is really sweet and the alcohol is right up front which makes me think I should have paid more attention to the fermentation temperature.  Ahhh, live and brew!  The flavor mimics the aroma.  It is much too sweet and it packs a helluva punch!  It's a bit "thick".  Not sure how to solve that yet.  Needless to say I was pretty excited that it didn't totally suck (it probably does, but I'm just not going to admit that) and already had my next brew planned...

And, here it is!  Fermenting quite nicely in the guest room shower.  No visitors for awhile, so I think we're good to go!  This is an IPA also but I changed up the yeast and hops.  Pretty much the same malt bill.  Should have a nice oily flavor since I didn't read ALL the directions for my new immersion chiller (I totally give my husband sh*t for that all the time too...) and hence probably did not remove all the junk off the copper.  Oh well.  It's been fermenting like crazy so I'll hold out hope!

I have recipes for the next two brews so I need to hurry up and drink these!  Or find some people willing to drink experimental, oily beer!  Any takers?

Until next time!
Cheers!
Becky

I'm baaaack...

March 23rd?  That was the last post? Really?  No excuses.

Of course, just because we've been apart doesn't mean I stopped drinking beer.  No ice skating in hell over the past 6 weeks...

In FACT, I have, of course, a new beer to tell you about, and then some very random pictures to show you...just read.

Maui Brewing Co.
Bikini Blonde Lager
Helles Lager
5.1% ABV

I really wasn't sure what I was in the mood for, so I roamed the "singles" section at Whole Foods (hmmm...I'm refering to beer, but maybe I'm on to something) and decided on this one.  I briefly considered New Belgium's Shift (lager), but I am really not into them-New Belgium is mostly hype in my opinion.  I only was going to try it because I had a preconceived idea that I wouldn't like it and was looking forward to trashing it (or maybe I was secretly afraid I would have to admit to liking it). 

Anhyhow, I picked this up because the blonde on the can looks a little bit like me.  And what was in the can reminded me of me also.  A pretty good beer, but it might need a little work.  A sweet, malty aroma meets the nose right off-that's me-sweet right up front.  The two finger head disappears pretty quickly leaving me to focus on the hazy, orange/gold color.  Usually things are a little hazy around here, but no gold to be found because I would sell it and move somewhere waaaayyy better.   Medium body and low carbonation.  Yeah, I guess maybe I'm "medium bodied" on a good day, but I'd say I have a little more pop than this beer.  No real hop presence, and no noticeable bitterness, true to the "helles" lager style.  Ok, so maybe this beer and I have some differences...I've got hop (well, some left at my age anyhow) AND pop, but definitely no bitterness.  A severe streak of cynicism and sarcasm, but no bitterness.

Overall, pretty good.  I was really hoping to find a "summer beer", but this wasn't it.  I'm not a fan of wheat (this wasn't a wheat beer) beers which are most of the summer offerings, so I am usually just drinking IPAs.  Which is fine, but I like to mix it up.  So far, most of the Maui offerings have just been "ok".  Nothing special.  But I won't send if back if a cute guy in the "singles" section sends one over.

Ok, now on to the random photos section of this post...sort of a VERY brief representation of my beer life since my last post....

Zoe was AWESOME, Nepenthe was ok, and I left "The Camp" at my parents house and it damn well better be there when I get back in a few weeks!

Deck beer is always awesome.

Thank you Virginia legislature for allowing breweries the same privileges as wineries.  'Bout time!



I didn't want to eat in your stupid restaurant anyhow.

T.J. had one, why can't I?

Clever, but not my fave.

My boss and the Governor McDonnell.  Virginia is for craft beer lovers you know.

This beer got a 100/100 rating on Beer Advocate.  This brewery is 6 months old.  They released this 4 months ago.  My favorite, even before the fancy accolades (it also took 3rd place in the Spice/Herb category at the World Beer Cup).

How to amuse yourself, er, your children, at a restaurant. This one allowed firearms.  And ninjas.

The first attempted brew at the "Little Red Wagon Brewing Company".  Screw you Radio Flyer.  I can call it what I want.  (It rained?  Bad sign?  I think not).

This is where I am going right now.  So. Good.  Get some if you can.


Happy Friday Night Pints!
Becky

It's Sprummer!

It's March 23rd, and I am already sick of yard work.  The only redeeming quality of raking leaves and pulling weeds is that I feel like I've actually EARNED the beer I have consumed this week...

But enough whining...and onto the beer!  Despite my complaints about the Virginia heat (the joke around our house is that VA has two seasons...Summer, and NOT Summer), I will give props to Virginia's early spring evenings, and tonight was the first outdoor Friday Night Pint of 2012!!  Yeehaa!

The debut of the FNP official sign! 

I figured four consecutive days of 80 degree weather (in "spring" mind you...) justified putting up the official sign!  A beautiful evening for a beer on the patio, despite the fact that the yard isn't quite up to snuff! 

Always a fan of supporting local beer, this week's featured brew is from Devil's Backbone Brewing Company in Roseland, VA (ok, it's like an hour and a half away, but I consider same state to be fairly local!) (http://www.dbbrewingcompany.com/default.aspx).  I have only had the pleasure of visiting this brewery once, but it is definitely my kind of place!  Rustic, in the middle of nowhere, and they brew good beer!  What's not to like?!  My local Whole Foods had the Eight Point IPA and Vienna Lager in 6 packs.  If you've read my blog before, you know which one I picked!

The best way to describe the Eight Point IPA is "gentle".  It is a nice, easy drinking IPA.  At 5.9% ABV and 60 IBUs, it is certainly more "sessionable" than others I have tried.  It's a three step IPA (I just totally made this up, but it works here)-you get some nice citrusy hops in the nose, a nice malt flavor, and a bitter finish that reminds you that the hops are there.  One follows the other, in that order, and you aren't overwhelmed by any one aspect of the beer.  The carbonation gives it a prickly mouthfeel and adds a little dryness to the beer (thanks to my pinter in crime for bringing this aspect to my attention).

This is a good, solid IPA that I would definitely drink again.  I need a full weekend to head back over in the direction of Devil's Backbone and the Brew Ridge Trail (this is I did NOT make up...http://brewridgetrail.com/).  I'm a firm believer that beer tastes better with a buddy, but beer with a buddy AND a killer location...unbeatable!  You may very well see the Vienna Lager featured soon!

I hope you are enjoying your Friday Night Pints with a buddy in a killer location!
Cheers!
Becky

Happy St. Practice Day!

Ok, ok.  I know what you're thinking.  I skipped a week.  Yup, I sure did.  It's happened before and I've been forgiven.  In fact, I'm pretty sure no one noticed...
I'm calling last week "Pints with Pals".  Instead of expanding my own beer portfolio, I spent Friday night introducing a few new beers to some good friends of mine who stopped on their way back from a week in Florida in their giant ass RV can you say run on sentence.  So I got to drink beer in the "GARV", which I am pretty sure is nicer than the house I live in.  If I were a better, smarter blogger, I would have pictures to share with you.  But I am not, and I don't, so you're gonna have to take my word for it!  I THINK they enjoyed what I brought them, but they're really too polite to tell me they think my beer choices suck. 

Anyhow, onward!  This week's FNP is #28 of the 52 new beers I have promised you...this is taking FOREVER (skipping weeks doesn't help, I know)!!!!!!!!!!  According to my math, we're not even quite halfway there (someone might wanna check that though...).  It's a good thing I'm persistent and I really care about your well beering, because a lesser person would have quit drinking beer by now. 

This week's FNP is Williamsburg Alewerks Wheat Ale.  It was a left behind by the "GARV" folks, so it was sort of free, which is a total bonus!  They took the rest of them home to share some Virginia craft beer love with the New England peeps.

I would give you more statistical information in the caption, but there isn't any on the bottle or the website.  That really irritates me.  There is no point to the growler other than it happens to be one of the more interesting ones I own.  Oh, and it's from Williamsburg Alewerks.



The pour surprised me because I was expecting a much bigger, fluffier head.  The picture was taken just seconds after the pour, so you can see what I got.  There is a pleasant, lemony aroma at first, but it doesn't last long.  After that, the aroma fades, and you don't get much until the beer warms up and a sweet malty aroma emerges.  It's really hazy (the website does tell us that it's unfiltered, so there you go), and despite the website's claim of a "medium yellow" color, I'm calling it gold.  Who the hell ever heard of "medium yellow"?  Show me THAT color in a box of Crayola!  There are no distinguishing flavors besides a bit of sweet maltiness as the beer warms.  It is super prickly on the tongue and fairly light bodied. 

Overall, not an especially impressive beer.  I wouldn't NOT drink it again, but I think I will look to try some other wheat beers as the weather warms.  I really need another warm weather go to beer besides pale ales and IPAs.  Don't get me wrong, there will always be room in the fridge for those, but a little beer diversity never hurts. 

I would feel badly about such a middle of the road review on a local brew, but 1) I really like their Drake Tail IPA (shocker) and purchase it frequently, and 2) despite have a position posted for the last several months, for which I consider myself qualified, I have received NO response from the two inquiries I have made about it.  ZERO.  Not a "we received your resume blah, blah, blah", or "thanks for your interest, but we've filled the position", or, "sorry, we don't hire chics".  Nothing.  Fine if you don't want to hire me, but at least acknowledge my efforts to contact you.  Poor business practice if you ask me.  I will continue to hold my grudge, because that's just as effective punishment as not buying their beer, right?

Enjoy your Friday Night Pints!!
Cheers!
Becky

Mother's Little Helper

Ok, so this week's FNP is Oskar Blues Mama's Little Yella Pils, and I just seriously considered writing a song about it to the tune of the Stones' song of a similar title.  Then I realized that if I were actually that creative and/or talented I would probably be doing more than writing this blog each week!  Why tax myself on a Friday?!

Oksar Blues Brewing
Mama's Little Yella Pils
(Bohemian Pilsner)
5.3% ABV
35 IBUs

Sometimes I just get something in my head (my mother calls it getting a bee in your bonnet, but since I wouldn't be caught dead in a freakin' bonnet, I tend not to use the phrase.  Plus, who wants to admit they sound like their mother?), and I just need to do it.  For whatever reason I had it in my head that I wanted to feature a pilsner.  It almost happened last week, but the Whole Foods beer guy (not Greg...) talked me out of the one I was looking at.  This week they had Mama's Little Yella Pils on draft, so I figured it was worth a shot.  Always better to try beer on draft. 

Since I am apparently not feeling so creative today, I'm taking the easy way out.  The following is the cheap and sleazy review.  Not that Mama doesn't deserve better...

Appearance: straw yellow, brilliantly clear, rocky white head 
Aroma: earthy, sulfur.  Smells like a lager.
Taste: pleasantly mild sweet, malt flavor.  Soft hop bitterness
Mouthfeel: medium bodied, medium to high carbonation
Overall:  Overall I think Mama deserves some consideration as you peruse your local beer aisle(s).  It's a drinkable beer with no exteme aromas or flavors, and I think it would be a refreshing choice as we head toward warmer weather here in Richmond!  I wouldn't hesitate to bring some to the first cookout of the season, but I would make sure I had some kick ass IPAs in the fridge as back up.

To my New England friends and family, I hope you were all safe and sound as the snow fell this week (read: I hope you had enough good beer on hand to enjoy it!)!

Wishing you all a relaxing, enjoyable weekend!
Cheers!
Becky

Alphabet Soup

Today's FNP is brought to you by the letters W, T, and F, becasue who needs THIS sh*t in FEBRUARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, it is nearly 83 degrees on my deck.  In February.  And, it is only 1:30 pm, despite what the time on that thing says (I can never figure out how to change it).  Too much, waaaaayyyy too soon for this northern girl's blood!

THIS is what my yard looked like on MONDAY.  It is FRIDAY.

Great job boys!

Un. Real.  Anyhow, I guess complaining isn't going to help me figure out what the hell mother nature's problem is this week, so let's have a beer.  On the deck!

Lagunitas
Imperial Red Ale
7.8% ABV
54.2 IBUs (someone is good at math!)

Seriously, right?  What kind of an idiot complains about a gorgeous Friday?  Especially when it provides the opportunity to enjoy a great new beer in the sunshine.  I have to say that today's FNP was a last minute, unplanned choice that turned out pretty well!  The aroma of this beer is one that Yankee Candle should be looking into.  It has a great, sweet, pineapple/fruity aroma that even hangs around in the bottle long after the pour.  It's a little deceiving though because this beer is all malt up front with a sneaky bitterness that catches up with you.  The fruity sweetness is only evident in the aroma.  The amber/orange color did look pretty great with the sun shining through it, but I'm still not happy about 80 degree weather in WINTER.  The off-white head left great lace throughout the entire beer, and even looked a little bit like North America at one point, but I couldn't get it to show up quite right in a picture (did I mention that sun thing?).

This one was a good choice, and I would encourage giving it a try, and quickly, because it is apparently a limited release of a beer they brewed way back in 1993.  It's all cyclical you know. 

Thankfully, it looks like the weather is headed for more "seasonable" temps for the rest of the weekend, so my misery, and the beer, shall be short lived!

Cheers!

Becky

The Power of Suggestion

Recently I got an email from my B.I.L (brother in law) that included a picture of 3 beers (seen below), and a question about whether or not my M.I.L (let's see if you can figure that one out...) should buy any of them.  Strange because a) B.I.L doesn't really drink (and in his words "all beer tastes like Bud"), and b) M.I.L doesn't venture past Corona, or Killians’ Irish Red on a really crazy day.  I really didn't have much of an answer because I hadn't tried any of them, but I knew they were often cited as style examples in the BJCP (see previous posts for what this is, and why I would know this...).  So I figured,what the heck?  I'll give one of them a shot. 



Picture courtesy of my B.I.L

I chose the "dunkelweizen" (middle above) which means “dark, wheat beer”.  Usually not a choice of mine, but if the point of the blog is to introduce us all to new beer, then why not?



Weihenstephaner

Hefeweissbier Dark (Dunkelweizen)

5.3% ABV

 To make it official, I even went and got a weizen glass out of the closet and washed it just for the occasion (I can't fit ALL my glassware in one cupboard, and the weizen glass doesn't get much action around here).  The head on this beer was gorgeous, and took up most of the glass at first pour.  I let it settle, finished pouring, and what you see above is what the finished product looked like.  The white, rocky head on top of the mahogany beer made for a pretty good picture, and justified the extra effort. 

A spicy aroma hits the nose first, but I didn't get much of the expected banana scent often detected in these beers.  It was the spice and the wheat that dominated with no real hop aroma or flavor.  There was a slight bitterness in the finish (almost undetectable to my hop loving taste buds), along with a bit of an interesting tartness.  Definitely a malt driven beer that was sweeter than I expected, and I was happy about the lack of banana essence because it isn't my favorite flavor in beer.  Overall, not a style I'll seek out too frequently, but not a regrettable purchase (especially for $3.49 for the bottle...left more beer budget available than some other options!).  Give it a try if you are interested in learning more about German styles of beer.  It would even be interesting (to me anyhow) to do a side by side comparison of the dark and light versions.  Beer for thought I suppose.

So, at least I now have some first hand tasting experience to offer my beer limited family.  All in the name of beer education!

On a side note, if this one picture sent to me randomly "made" me go buy this beer, imagine what we could do if for one month we could take the advertising budgets of Bud/Miller/Coors and give them to the very best craft beer brewers in the country?  I'm not saying everyone would rush out and buy some Bell's Two Hearted, but hey, it would be worth a try to get the diehard fans of the "big three" to broaden their beer horizons!  Do they even know there are other, better tasting "pilsner" options out there?  I bet not. 

Wishing you all a great weekend, filled with friends, family and good times!

Cheers!

Becky

No Love Potions Here

So I hope you all weren't expecting me to serve up a glowing review of some great beer to have on the made up holiday called Valentine's Day*.  If you did, you don't know me that well.  Plus, I'm still really bitter about a certain football game and not ready to play nice.

Instead I bring you the Big Swell IPA offered up by Maui Brewing Co. based in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii.  It is, as you can see from the picture, a canned beer. 

See, I told you it was from a can. 
6.8% ABV

Now I know the arguments for putting beer in cans, and they all make complete sense.  In fact, Maui Brewing was kind enough to point out the following on the can itself (and I quote...):
*Cans eliminate light damage and reduce the risk of oxidation, keeping this craft brew fresher than in bottles!  Yup, no argument there.
*Cans are lighter, chill quicker, and can be enjoyed on beaches and in sensitive environments.  Sensitive environments?  Like where?  The ICU?
*Aluminum is the most recycled and most eco-friendly material.  IF you recycle it that is...

It's also less costly to ship because it is so much lighter than glass. That's probably pretty important to a brewery located on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  They must not have had room to fit that on the can though. 

Despite all these great points, I still prefer my beer in a glass bottle.  This really makes no sense since I hardly ever drink it out of its original container.  If I did, how would I justify the bazillions of pint glasses and other assorted beer glassware that I own?   

Anyhow, on to the beer INSIDE the eco/beer/sick relative in ICU friendly can.  I was pretty excited for the first sip of this after I poured it and took a quick sniff.  It had a nice citrusy, sweet aroma right away, which I love in an IPA.  So I quickly took the lame picture you see above so I could try it, but was disappointed to find that the citrusy aroma didn't follow through in the taste.  Malt and bitterness unexpectedly dominated the flavor, and the bitterness lingered on my tongue for a bit longer than I would have liked.  Not that bitterness in a IPA is unusual or unacceptable, there was just more than I typically care for.  It had a fairly high level of carbonation (a little sweetness creeps up on you as the carbonation fades), and I would call it a light to medium bodied brew.

Not my favorite example of an IPA, but if you are a fan of a more bitter IPA, then grab a 6-pack of Big Swell, go visit Aunt Betty in the ICU, and give the empty cans to the first "recycling engineer" (read: homeless person) you pass on your way out.

The good thing about this is that my pinter in crime tends to like these types of IPAs more than I, so I will make him drink, er, offer these to him with a glowing review (he doesn't read my blog, so he won't know any better) while secretly drinking the 6-pack of Bell's Two Hearted that I also bought.  It's what he gets for not supporting my blog efforts. 

Maui Brewing's cans also make a nice parting gift for a co-worker who has been the victim of down sizing in our continuously sluggish economy.

In the interest of your health and well-being, it might be best to give this anonymously.  They would eventually see the humor in it, but probably not until the last one was gone. 

Have a great weekend!
Cheers!
Becky

*For the record if my pinter in crime came home with a growler full of good  beer on Valentine's Day, I would drink it.  But only with indifference and under protest.

It's a two 'fer!



Avery Salvation                                               Allagash Tripel

    9% ABV                                                             9% ABV

Belgian Strong Ale                                            Belgian Tripel

  Avery Brewing                                              Allagash Brewing

    Boulder, CO                                                     Portland, ME

Being the beer geek that I am (save the smartass comments if you would please), I am always trying to find new ways of coercing myself into trying new beers.  This blog is one of those ways, and it has inspired a little more diversity and creativity in my beer choices, and in the way I approach learning about beer.  Hence, the two 'fer.

For those of you who have followed my blog for awhile, you know that in general I am not a fan of Belgians (the beer anyhow, I don't have anything against Belgian people...I hear they make some damn good chocolate!), yet here I am featuring not one, but TWO!  Well, here's the deal.  I subscribe to no fewer than  five beer related periodicals, would rather read a book about beer than some useless, sappy novel that deals with emotions I try my best to ignore, and would prefer that my husband bring me home a growler of good beer instead of a dozen roses.  And if I'm really in the beer groove on any given day, I'll poke through the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) style guidelines (for all you true beer nerds out there...here's the link www.bjcp.org/styles... I have the hard copy 'cause I'm old school).  It was flipping through the guidelines that inspired this week's post.  The style guidelines for the Belgian Tripel and the Belgian Strong Ale are nearly identical, except for a few noted differences.  So, I wanted to see for myself how they compared.  And since I know that your interest has been peaked because of this fascinating story, here you go (and because I don't want you trashing my blog and/or sending me hate mail, I will not bore you with the details that are included in the BJCP guidelines...if you've made it through this much of the post, I'll assume you can read them for yourself).

Now I can't say that I was looking forward to drinking either of these, but will say that I did not despise either.  Avery's Salvation (Belgian Strong Ale) was much sweeter in aroma and flavor than I expected, and did not have the "typical" Belgian traits, which made it much more palatable, for me at least.  Although it is only a 9% ABV beer, the alcohol is present on the tongue immediately, but isn't a turn off.  It was a good looking beer, hazier than I expected, and had an interesting rocky head of foam.  I would call it a medium bodied beer, with fairly high carbonation that disappeared quickly.  I enjoyed Salvation, but thought that the sweetness was  a bit overpowering-had it maintained the initial level of carbonation, I think it would have seemed more balanced.  I would drink it again, but in small doses.  Beer is best shared anyhow.

The Allagash Tripel was much more along the lines of what I was anticipating drinking.  There was the definitive, banana/spicy/peppery aroma, but those flavors were much more subdued than I expected.  It was a bit darker in color than the golden, with a creamy, white head that stuck around.  There wasn't much hop aroma to speak of, but there was some noticeable bitterness in the finish.  It seemed more crisp and dry than the golden, which is the exact opposite of the style guidelines, but I guess that's why they are called "guidelines". 

Anyone out there wondering why I didn't choose a Belgian beer made by Belgians, monks (or Belgian monks)?  Well, I figured 1) I like to support domestic companies, 2) I felt it would be unfair to compare a domestic beer and an import, and 3) I like Avery beers and Allagash is from New England!  I would at some point like to compare the same two styles again and choose two imports, but that's a story for another day.


On a side note...

...the fridge is stocked for Super Bowl Weekend!!!!!!!!!

GOOOOO Patriots!!!!!!!

Cheers!

Becky

The Chocolate Trend Continues...

The Vixen (Chocolate Chili Bock)
8.5% ABV
Sam Adams (Boston Beer Co.)
Boston, MA

This one's for you Matt...(http://www.staythirstyblog.com/)

This week's FNP is in honor of my blogger friend Matt, who in a comment awhile ago (thanks for reading Matt!) mentioned he couldn't find this beer (he is also the person who inspired this blog, so you have him to thank, or hate, for my presence in your lives each week...).  So despite the fact that I did a chocolate beer last week, I decided I would take advantage of the availability of this beer while I can.  I'll admit the choice scared me a little bit, because although I am a HUGE fan of chili, I wasn't sure how I would feel about those flavors in my beer.  I would call this beer a "pleasant surprise", as I fully anticipated not liking it (what kind of a freak buys a beer they think they're not going to like?).

Right away the sulfur smell of a lager hits the nose (I find this in most of the Sam Adams lager beers), but quickly gives way to the pleasant, chocolate aromas.  The cinnamon flavor is there, but not overwhelming.  Little to no hop aroma, but you get the bitterness of the noble hops in the finish, which I think is perfect for this beer.  I didn't get much chili flavor or spiciness, but the beer leaves your gums tingling a bit (not NUMB Dottie), which I am guessing is the combination of chilies and carbonation (there was a bit more carbonation than I expected, but I think it works).

I think The Vixen is a great beer to pair with chili or dry rubbed ribs, or as a night cap (NOT a breakfast drink in my opinion, but if you are so inclined to try, I won't discourage you).  Probably one of the more interesting beers I have tried in awhile, and I would certainly encourage the purchase, especially for the price ($5.99 for the 22 oz. bottle).

Some quick thoughts on last weeks' purchases...Wolavers Organic IPA-good, not great.  Definitely worth the $6.99 I paid for the six-pack (on sale at WF).  Support New England Brewers!  The Hop Manna was ok, but I think could have been a little more balanced (too much citrusy hop flavor going on).  Founders Centennial IPA is a regular in this house, and is probably one of the more balanced IPAs out there, in my humble opinion.  Firestone Walker's Union Jack (LOVE this beer) was the weekend's "kick off" beer (if you don't understand what this means, I'm not explaining it to you...).  Haven't broken into the Mephistopheles' Stout yet...one will be opened shortly, the other will be in the beer fridge until at least next winter (along with a few others)...my husband just shakes his head when I do these things.

A quick shout out to my brewer friend Dave, who has been so supportive, patient, and understanding of my inexplicable desire to learn all there is to know about beer, the brewing process, and the industry, and who I think shares my passion for what it takes to be a part of it all.  THANKS DAVE!

To all (3? 4?) of you who read my blog, thank you!  If even one of you takes something of value (even if it's amusement!) away from this, it will have been more than worth my time!

Cheers!
Becky 

Friday Noon Pints

I know what you are thinking, but no, hell hasn't frozen over.  Although I could swear I saw flying pigs somewhere last week...

Anyhow, here we are again at FRIDAY!  And here I am posting the Friday Night Pint, on time, and maybe a little early! 

So, there I am in the Whole Foods beer aisle, at 8:30 am, as usual, staring at the selection and silently daring myself to get something a little different.  To make a long story short (I tend to ramble in case you haven't noticed...), I spent a few minutes chatting with the "beer guy" who approached me, and I ended up trying 3 different beers from their draft selections (Avery Mephistopheles' Stout, Scotch De Silly, and Hebrew Hop Manna IPA), and leaving with the following: 32 oz. growler of Hebrew Hop Manna IPA, 2 bottles of Avery Mephistopheles' Stout, a six pack of Wolavers Organic IPA and Centennial IPA, a four pack of Terrapin's Moo-Hoo Milk Chocolate Stout, and a bomber of Firestone Walker Union Jack.  In my defense (because I can just see the incredulous looks on your faces), it IS a pretty big football weekend (imagine what my beer purchases will be like if, I mean WHEN, the Pats make it to the Superbowl?!).  AND, my addiction is to "buying and trying".  I'm not drunk 24/7 as most of you probably assume.  This probably won't fly when the divorce papers arrive, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it... 

Anyhow, I decided to feature Terrapin's Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout for several reasons.  The name is just funny, the label amuses me, AND, most importantly, I felt better about drinking it before, uhh, five o'clock, because it's described on the label as a "chocolate milk stout", and therefore clearly is meant to be a breakfast drink.  Umm, right?



Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout
6% ABV
Terrapin Beer Co.
Athens, GA

This beer pours dark brown with a two finger head (if you pour the damn thing right).  The head stays and leaves a pretty good lace throughout.  It's fairly light in body, bordering on thin which would be a turn off for me if it weren't for the great flavor.  Light chocolate flavor and bready malts actually make me think this might be good for breakfast...once in awhile (hey, you probably don't think mimosas or bloody mary's for breakfast are weird, DO you?).  Very little, if any hop aroma, but a good balance of subtle, spice hop in the flavor.  There was a weird metallic taste at the beginning, but I didn't notice it after the first sip or two, so I attribute it to one of two things: flavor came from the cap, or it's because this is (according to the label) the 2010 version of this "seasonal" beer.  Noticed this about halfway through...

I should really pay more attention...


So, either I got suckered into buying old "seasonal" beer, OR, I totally got a bargain on an "aged" beer!  I'm going with the latter (even though at 6% ABV this isn't a great beer for aging...)!  Who likes to think they got suckered?

A good beer if you're in the mood for something to have with dessert (or breakfast if you can handle the flak you'll take for it...).  I can't help but wonder what a "fresh" bottle would taste like?

Now, don't fall off your chairs because you are reading this long before "happy hour" starts (and don't call the police, DYS, or my husband).  In order to bring you timely, more thoughtful reviews of a new beer each week, I have decided that I'll get to it a bit earlier (how early will be on a need to know basis..), because quite honestly, by Friday evening, I just want to DRINK a beer, and not analyze it. This also might give those of you who actually read this an opportunity to pick up a bottle of the featured beer, if it sounds like something you might enjoy.

So, I hope you will take advantage of my attempt to broaden you beer horizons and try Moo-Hoo, or any of the other featured craft beer offerings!

Until next week...
Cheers!
Becky

P.S. GOOOO Pats!

Deadlines are for people who get paid to do this...

...hence, I am still poor and feel somewhat justified (but a little guilty) for never having this up on an actual Friday...

We all (and by this I mean serious beer drinkers-even those committed to the "big 3") have our "go to" breweries.  The ones to which our hard earned money is most frequently distributed.  For me, one of these breweries is Avery Brewing.  I have yet to be disappointed in a beer that I have selected from them, so, this week's Friday Night Pint was another offering from Avery....Hog Heaven,which is described on the bottle as a "dry hopped barleywine style ale".  Now the way I see it, you're either a barleywine, or you're not.  Can I describe myself as a "sturdy brunette style slender blonde"?  Probably.  But it wouldn't take you long to figure out the description was a crock of sh*t.

But I digress.  Hog Heaven is copper colored, medium+ bodied beer, with low hop aroma, but a surprising hop flavor (you don't expect it based on the subdued hop aroma).  A very thin white head disappears quickly, but leaves a great lace on the glass.  The beer has a distinct sweetness, but finished very dry.  Despite the fairly high 9.2% ABV this is a very drinkable, and overall, a good beer.  However, the characteristics seemed very similar to many Imperial IPAs I have tried (admittedly, I have tried very few barleywines, but I have tried LOTS of Imperial IPAs).  Not a bad thing, but maybe that explains the odd description on the bottle.  Maybe they just couldn't decide what kind of beer this actually was, so they called it "a barleywine style ale", instead of just a barleywine.*  Please do not view the picture below if you have a strange fear of flying pigs.

Stolen from their website because I couldn't get my picture to download properly...tech nerd I am not.

So, there you have it.  Friday Night Pints, on a Wednesday.  So what else is new.  Stay tuned for my new strategy for getting this done on time this Friday...

Anyone have any suggestions for a beer for me to try?  Sometimes I hate making that decision.  I usually feel pressured to leave the beer aisle after the second or third employee asks if I need help.  Nope, just an indecisive beer stalker.  So, if there are any suggestions out there, let me have 'em!!  I'll even mention you in the blog, because that would make you cool. 

Until next time..

Cheers!
Becky

*When I was illegally copying and re-using their Hog Heaven label art, I noticed that most (if not all-didn't look because I was in a real hurry to get my blog up a week late...) of their beers are labeled as a "______ style ale".  I guess they don't like being forced to conform to a style, so that gives them leeway?  So confused...

MerryChristmasHappyNewYearWhatTheHellHappenedTo2011?

WHERE to begin!?  How about here....



Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!

 The above picture is the cover of the calendar I created for my mother and mother in law for Christmas...you might be a redneck...

So, like November, December was a blur!  BUT, I'm not focusing on the past...let's move on!  The first FNP of 2012 is coming to you on time, and even a little early, becuse I'm cheating just a bit!  Due to a recurring head and chest cold, I CTS (can't taste sh*t!), and I'm not drinking a good beer if I can't taste it!  So instead of a beer I am trying today, I bring to you a FABULOUS beer that I have had the pleasure of drinking several times over the past month (ok, so technically this is a 2011 beer, but it's my blog so I get to make the rules).

Seriously, I would buy this beer just for the label!  And this is pretty much the best picture on my blog so far...don't ya think?

This Gingerbread Stout is the most recent Brewer's Reserve offering from Hardywood Park Craft Brewery here in Richmond, VA (more on that in a minute...www.hardywood.com).  It is a 9.2% ABV milk stout brewed with ginger and honey, sourced locally, and most certainly one of my favorite beers of 2011.  It is a full bodied, sweet beer that would be great as a dessert beer on its own, or paired with apple pie or cheesecake!  I first tried it on draft at Hardywood and have had it several times since from the 22 oz. bomber you see above.  Nothing beats beer straight from the draft, and this was no exception.  Although fantastic from a bottle as well, that first taste on draft was phenomenal!  It's been in high demand and short supply around town, so I am happy that I have had so many opportunities to enjoy it!  I hope it's back next year!  Looking forward to the Coffehouse Stout that's next on the schedule! 

Back to the brewery itself...Hardywood Park officially opened in October 2011.  I attended the "launch party" and was impressed with the quality of the beer and the facility, but I was also amazed at the number of people in attendance!  This small brewery has quickly garnered a cult following, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out why.  They are producing great beer, are very community focused, and seem to have a genuine passion for what they are doing.  Since the launch I have had the pleasure of "working" at the brewery on several occasions and continue to be impressed with the level of professionalism and commitment to quality.  One probably doesn't often think of breweries as classy places, but this place is an exception.  It has a level of class and even elegance that is unexpected, as you will see from the pictures below.

These are pictures from the Hardywood Illumination event, a collaborative celebration of dark beer between Hardywood, Starr Hill, Legend, and Devil's Backbone Brewing...tasteful and elegant...well managed...and well attended!!  In a brewery!  Go figure!

Ok, as if that wasn't enough to make December rock, check out some of the beer related items I got for Christmas...


Some great New England brews I tried while visiting the great city of Keene, NH!  Thanks Tuff and Kelly, and Zach at BrewTopia for the tastes of home!





This is no ordinary pint glass....

 

A clever find from my SIL who at least knows how I sign my blog...even if she's never read it...

Ok, so how AWESOME is this sign?!  It was a gift from my mother and father in law who apparently have way more faith in my ability to continue with this blog than I do!  With a kick ass sign like this, what choice do I have but to continue to punish my readers with my juvenile sense of humor and borderline obsessive beer behavior?!  Lucky you!!  Now, where to hang it...

Ok, and just little plug for BrewTopia in Keene, NH (www.brewtopianh.com).  I had read about this place in one of the kazillion beer mags that I get, but hadn't found my way there during the last few visits to New England.  Finally got there this time around and was pleasantly surprised to find Zach, one of the owners, to be genuinely interested in helping us find what we wanted (not that we really knew what that was, but hey, he was ready to help!). Zach was very knowledgeable about the great selection of beer, and I was happy to see a strong showing of local brews!  A little tweaking here and there and this place will be a fantastic beer stop!

I guess that wraps up the first post of 2012!  Looking forward to getting back to a weekly post for you all to, ah, enjoy.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year full of great beer!

Cheers!

Becky