Filed under: Barleywine, Beer News, Craft Brewed Beers, Legislation, Vermont, microbreweries
By now, most lovers of craft beer have heard plenty about the maker of Monster energy drink, Hansen Beverage Co., initiating a trademark dispute with Rock Art Brewery, ordering it to stop selling, advertising and promoting a beer called “The Vermonster.” Additionally, the large corporation wanted the tiny brewery to compensate it for attorneys’ fees.
If you haven’t read this (because now it’s old news), you can read about it all over the place or watch the Matt and ’The Monster” video. And you can also find the declarations that Hansen backed off, including a time line and sincere thank you from brewer/owner Matt Nadeau (you may also be interested in his video calling for support to Trademark Reform where he talks relatively kindly about the actions of Hansen.)
My reason for posting is to share the hilarious Halloween costume a 
Burlington, VT family created to commemorate the occasion. I send thanks to Beth and Jim for entertaining me (even if laughing that hard after my surgery wasn’t such a good idea…), and hope they don’t mind me sharing it with the world!
Now that the attack on Rock Art is over, I’m hoping to return to drinking Hansen Natural Green Tea Soda and hopefully LOTS of Vermonster!
Filed under: Beer News, Brown Ale, Craft Brewed Beers, Non-Smoking, Pennsylvania, Travel, microbreweries
Be among the first to try Elk Creek Café + Aleworks Mid State Trail Ale at the 40th Anniversary party for the Mid State Trail.
On Sunday, July 12th, 2009 from 2:00PM to 4:00PM, the Mid State Trail Association is sponsoring a party in honor of the trail. All are invited to join the MSTA for this mixer and to share experiences on Pennsylvania’s wildest footpath. A portion of the proceeds from each beer sold will be donated to the Mid State Trail Association.
Mid State Trail Ale is a Northern English Brown Ale, described by brewer Tim Yarrington as a beer with a profile designed for balance in a quote for the Summer 2009 MSTA newsletter, the ‘Brushwhacker’:
“The Northern English Brown Ale style is a rich yet approachable English style ale, brewed with English malt and Fuggle hops. The Mid State Trail Ale will be well balanced, with moderate alcohol content, making it a drinkable and satisfying beer.”
Brown Ales pair well with all types of foods, but I will highly recommend the tofu sautéed with spinach and caramelized onions, any trout dish available or Chicken Liver Toast. Also for sale that day will be the trail map and guide.
Make a day, or a weekend, of it – take a hike and go for the beer!
The Mid State Trail System (MST) is Pennsylvania’s longest and wildest footpath, suitable for day-hiking and backpacking. It is now more than 300 miles in length, beginning at the Mason-Dixon Line near Artemas, and traveling through the Seven Mountains and Pennsylvania Wilds Regions to end in Tioga County. It travels through the Bald Eagle State Forest, including Harry John’s picnic area, Poe Paddy State Park or R.B. Winter State Park - all within 30 minutes drive of Millheim.
After the fiasco of last year, I considered not attending the 2009 event, but it feels like with the new “golden ticket” program, Three Floyds may have a handle on the event today. Except that it’s pushing 7 AM Central, and they haven’t posted how many bottles a ticket holder can purchase yet – cash only, $15 – I’m thinking the ATM lines are going to be the ones to worry about this year!
I’m (voluntarily) stuck in Philadelphia, so I missed out on the pre-DLD festivities, but the text messages and Facebook updates sounded like everyone is having a great time.
Can’t wait to be there!
Filed under: Beer Travel, Coffee Stout, Craft Brewed Beers, Milk Stout, Oatmeal Stout, Stout, microbreweries
I’ve neglected to follow up on the rest of our NC trip, and already we’ve already finished up another…Extreme Beer Fest!
I started this post on Friday, and it just goes to show that drinking and blogging don’t mix, as I never finished writing about the sweet stouts that stood out on that day as terrific primers for the festival ahead.
We stopped in Willimantic, CT at the old post office, which is now Willimantic Brewing Company, for lunch. I totally enjoyed my first S.W.A.K. Stout (5.4% ABV) so much that instead of trying something new, I had another! This is described by the brewery as an unfiltered Black Ale mashed with seven malts, hopped with Saaz and “Sealed With A Kiss” of vanilla. It was outstanding!
When we arrived in Boston, we started out by sharing a growler of Captain Lawrence Espresso Stout before taking the T to Redbones for barbeque and their 24 taps, including a large selection of Sixpoint beers (I must admit I ate vegetarian and drank water from a mason jar, so I don’t have many comments on the ‘que or the beers based on the tiny sips I had…)
Our final stop for the night was Cambridge Brewing Company where I had the CaCow! Chocolate Milk Stout (6.4% ABV). Brewed with barley, oats and an addition of lactose, the description says CaCow! was additionally aged with cacao nibs from Taza Chocolate in Somerville, and house-made vanilla extract to balance the roast with a little extra sweetness. We had terrible service at CBC – pretty much ignored by the wait staff – but every beer at the table was delightful.
It was a great first night in Boston, with many, many great beers to follow!
Filed under: Coffee Stout, Double IPA, Imperial Stout, India Pale Ale (IPA), Private Tasting, Triple IPA
Two private tasting parties yielded a great weekend beer list! Some of the things we pulled out were pretty amazing, and our party hosts provided an outstanding setting for tasting.
The HopFest
On Friday night, a small group of us gathered to share growlers. Hops were out in full force to make up this list.
We started with Rock Bottom Sub Zero IPA, which Ffej and Brandi picked up earlier in the day at King of Prussia. It’s a Simcoe-hop-based IPA, and had a really nice balance of piney and citrusy hop flavors. As one of the Brewmaster’s specials, it doesn’t appear on the website, but reviews can be read at Beer Advocate.
Next it was Pure Hoppiness from Alpine Beer Company. Alpine uses hops in the boil, runs it through a hopback, and also dry-hops this Double IPA. This was a brighter, sweeter IPA. Both Ffej and D mentioned tropical and citrus fruit overtones; I thought the pine-sap sweetness and light malt flavors were in perfect harmony.
For our third offering, we opened a growler of Surly Grit 16. This is a Double IPA which was released as a growler-only special in recognition of loyal customers during the last days in which Surly was allowed to sell growlers due to current MN law. (In 2008, Surly sold over 3500 barrels of beer; MN law only allows off-sale licenses for breweries producing less than 3500 barrels. They can’t get the license in 2009 without cutting production, so no more growler sales, no more Darkness Day, and no more SurlyFest until/unless the law is changed.)
30 bbls of 16 Grit were brewed, but a couple were sucked up during the dry-hopping process. 901 growlers were sold on the first day. 16 Grit was kettle hopped with Warrior, Amarillo and Glacier hops, then dry-hopped twice with Glacier and Amarillo. It came out to 9% ABV (110 IBUs), and the folks at Surly described it as well balanced, caramel-oat malt flavors and huge orange lemon aroma finishing with a pithy bitterness.
D and I had a growler lined up for ourselves, but it slipped away. Luckily, Dain was able to score one and kind enough to share it. (There is a video of someone – not us – enjoying a growler…it picks up after minute #2.) It was a real treat just to get a glass.
Finally, we had Hopsickle Triple IPA from Moylan’s, which D picked up in a swingtopbottle. Brewed withTomahawk, Cascade and Centennial hops, this is a potent beverage with incredible hop stickiness.
I must make a special note here to say that we were pleased to see Troeg’s Nugget Nectar on tap at The Old Corner Hotel in Williamsport on Saturday night. Unfortunately, the staff there don’t seem to know what a great beer they’ve got (it doesn’t even have a unique tap handle.) But we did!
The StoutFest
Our friends David and Sarah hosted a Sunday stout tasting as an opportunity to clear out their beer cellar a little bit. It was a really fun event because they organized the afternoon as a blind tasting. We started with the line-up of five Coffee Stouts and one lone doppelbock, followed by 16 Imperial Stouts. I know this sounds like a lot, but the servings were very small with such a nice group of people doing the tasting.
David masked the bottles well, and poured a small amount for each person, and then we were asked to rate the beer on a scale of 1 to 10, as well as name the beer (it was a multiple choice test.) What an interesting experiment – a test of our own senses and perceptions. When the real names of the beers were revealed at the end, many of us were surprised at our guesses as well as our ratings.
Finally, the scores were averaged, and we were all sent a copy of the scored results. Here they are, scored from highest to lowest:
Coffee Stouts
- Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast (1st bottling); Overall score of 7.73
- Pisgah Valdez; Overall score of 7.5
- Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Péché Mortel; Overall score of 7.32
- Alesmith Speedway Stout; Overall score of 7.08
- Ithaca Kaffinator; Overall score of 6.7
- Deschutes Black Butte XX; Overall score of 6.25
- Mikkeller Black Hole; Overall score of 4.93
Imperial Stouts
- Goose Island Bourbon County Stout 2008 ;Overall Score of 9.0
- Foothills Sexual Chocolate; Overall score of 7.63
- Amager Bryghus Hr. Frederiksen; Overall score of 7.44
- (tie) Hoppin’ Frog B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout (2007); Overall score of 7.08 and Pennichuck Pozharnik Whiskey Barrel Aged Brewers Reserve; Overall score of 7.08 (more higher marks)
- Three Floyds Dark Lord (2007); Overall score of 7.04
- (tie) Stone Imperial Russian Stout 2008 Overall score of 7.0 and Deschutes The Abyss (2006); Overall score of 7.0 (more higher marks)
- Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout; Overall score of 6.73
- (tie) Stoudt’s Barrel Aged Fat Dog (2008 whiskey); Overall score of 6.54 and Oskar Blues Ten FIDY; Overall score of 6.54 (more higher marks)
- Left Hand Imperial Stout; Overall score of 6.42
- Highland Imperial Black Mocha Stout; Overall score of 6.23
- Odell Imperial Stout; Overall score of 6.12
- Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (2007); Overall score of 6.08
- Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 2008 Overall score of 6.0
At some point I may go back and add links to these, but it’s another one of those nights where I stayed up too late.
Many, many thanks to our hosts for providing such a nice selection of beers, an interesting event and great food and coffee (fresh from Costa Rica!)
On Friday, January 23, D and I were pleased to participate in our first Robbie Burns Birthday Bash. From the Sly Fox website:
Sly Fox’s seventh annual celebration of the birthday of Scotland’s greatest poet, Robert Burns, has its roots in the Burns Suppers which are held in his native country around the same time. These began in the late 18th century to mark the anniversary of his death but were eventually changed to January 25, the date of his birth. The Sly Fox party is held each January on the Friday nearest that date.
The Burns Birthday Bash attracts many fans of Burns’ poetry and Americans of Scottish descent from all around the region as well as beer fans who’ve waited anxiously for the release of our Gang Aft Agley Scotch Ale on that night.
We were so glad David and Sarah were able to score a table, as the beer and Burn’s fans, many of them garbed in kilts, crowded into Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery in Phoenixville to hear the band and partake of the haggis. Poetry readings and piping pulled the whole night together.
There was a long line-up of beer, but most notable were the 2009 Gang Aft Agley and Burns Scottish Ale on the handpumps and on draft. Also, a keg of 2007 Gang Aft Agley was on draft. The Piping of the Haggis was quite a sight to see, and I even broke my personal rules and tasted it (just between me and the entire blogosphere, I kinda’ liked it! – sort of a pate quality to this haggis!)
My favorite part of the night was when the band played Whiskey in the Jar (a favorite of mine from Off Kilter - an Epcot house band) and Charley on the MTA (a favorite of mine from camp!)
I’ll post photos later if I get a chance, but right now I need to get to bed…
Filed under: American Pale Ale, Beer News, Brown Ale, Craft Brewed Beers, Florida, Oatmeal Stout, Organic, Travel
Our first meal at Disney World was outstanding. We went to The Wave at the Contemporary Resort, where I was looking forward to the flight of Orlando Brewing organic ales they advertised on the website. Not that I thought they would be very special – probably not as interesting as some other beers, but more interesting than a regular A-M-C line-up.
As it turns out, The Wave JUST (like, in the last month) changed their organic beer carrier, and it’s now Wolaver ales from Middlebury, VT – the organic line of Otter Creek Brewing Company. Last night on the menu, they had the Pale Ale, Brown Ale and Oatmeal Stout.
Hearing this news, I decided not to pay Disney prices for beer I know I have either had or can get elsewhere, but I was pleased to see the quality of beer was worthy of such a nice restaurant.
We chose a lovely wine for the table, which paired well with my “Sustainable Fish of the Day” over edamame stew with cilantro chutney (this was outstanding!) I enjoyed the multi-grain bread with red wine sea salt butter, and mini-deserts like lemon yogurt sorbet with blueberry compote and chocolate-mint mousse made for a nice finish.
We don’t even go into the parks until Tuesday, and already, it’s simply magical!
One of my favorite beers will soon be available in cans – and hopefully in our own cellar! Surly Brewing Company, which won’t be able to sell growlers anymore due to some strange Minnesota law that prohibits breweries who produce more than 3500 barrels a year from selling growlers, is moving Coffee Bender into cans.
When we were in Minneapolis last March, we talked to Todd, who said this was a possibility. I’m glad to hear it’s a reality, and it’s reported very well at the Beer News site.
While D was beer traveling all over southeastern PA this weekend, I was enjoying special family moments with my nephews, cousins, and lots of other friends and family at the Creek House. This special piece of property along Lycoming Creek populates several times a year with loads of adults, children and dogs (7 to be exact!) who really know how to laugh, play and love. Oh, and they know how to eat!
One thing I’ve learned, though, is to bring my own beer. Not that it is ever a problem finding any there; its just not beer that I care to drink (Bud Lime, Natural Light…you get the picture.) When I leave from my own house, I arrive packed (in fact, there was speculation about what crazy beers I might show up with), but this time I didn’t leave from my house… I started the trip with three empty growlers, one of which broke two minutes after I walked into the pub for a fill (sorry!), another that I filled with awesome root beer (made with raw organic cane sugar and unsulfered molasses) from Selin’s Grove Brewing, and the third which I filled with Steel Drivin’ Stout from Bavarian Barbarian and decided to save to share with D.
So this is how I managed to get my hands on my first Anheuser-Busch product in 15 years (not QUITE true – a few years ago someone at McGrath’s tricked me into drinking a Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale by telling me it was from a “small brewery in Missouri” – I think I had three sips before sending it away.) When I heard about Budweiser American Ale, I kept saying I wouldn’t buy one, but if I was offered one, I would try it. This was my chance.
My first sip was straight from the bottle – the way it really should be with this beer. But the “beer advocate” in me felt the need to have it from a real glass. At first glance, I was impressed. It poured a nice amber color with a medium head. There was even a slight hint of citrus from the cascade hops, but really just barely there.
Like the disappointment that comes from a weak cup of coffee at a mediocre restaurant, the hint of caramel malt and flash of hop bitterness left me thirsting for more. It was a bit malty for my palate, with a dash of bread, but honestly, it featured an all-around light flavor – nothing prominent at all. It had a watered-down mouthfeel. Only the color and the carbonation seemed to be just right.
This ale is an improvement over previous A-B brews – the appealing color, malt sweetness and suggestion of hops sure beat the fizzy yellow, rice sugared lager this company is famous for producing. Still, I admit that I stuck to the root beer for the rest of the weekend.
Coming home to a growler of Homegrown IPA from Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks made up for all the flavor I missed out on over the weekend. Now, THAT is an outstanding brew! But that’s a post for another day.
Filed under: Beer Styles, Craft Brewed Beers, Pennsylvania, Stout, microbreweries
Some news from back home, which I hope it’s okay to be spreading…
Mike Hiller started brewing Steel Drivin’ Stout in the last week. We’re told that he threw in some oatmeal, some chocolate malt, and plenty of caramel malt and that the aroma in the mash is just sublime! It’s going to be 6% alcohol, so it’ll be a nice treat for these chilly fall evenings.
This will be beer #5 in Bavarian Barbarian’s line-up. If the quality and popularity of his other beers are any indication, this is a beer not to be missed!
