As you all know, Nick has no taste in beer.
Last year, Germany won his "Ale-Lympics" Tonight, I go through a few German beers with my beer drinking group.
1) Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock. This is literally the name of this one. Eminently compliant with the German Purity Laws, or as I would call them, the "beer can be really boring too" rules, this one's pretty plain. Nothing wrong with it, but I can't imagine anyone getting too excited with it. Definitely a functional session beer.
2) Reissdorf Kolsch. One thing Nick and I agree on is that Kolschbier is a good beer. This one's a pretty good example of the style. Light, refreshing, crisp... (super-secret beer Agent Al informs me that Kolsch, to be Kolsch, is supposed to come from Cologne (the guy running the tasting says "20 miles"... don't they use the metric system in Deutschland?)... I guess that homebrew Nick made in Providence can't actually be called a Kolsch... welcome to "Kolsch-style", Nick.)
3) Pinkus Organic Ur-Pils. I'm a little sick of organic beer, but judging from the information I can find about Pinkus online, they may have been a little bit ahead of the trend on this organic nonsense. This one's pretty clean, with less hop character than you expect from a pilsner--and really, less flavor than most beers period. That's a pilsner for you...
4) Georg Schneider Wiesen Edel-Weisse. Beer Advocate loves this beer (like seriously LOVES it)--another organic offering from the Germans. Heavy banana bread and clove in a pretty tasty and well rounded weizen. Tastes like a baked good, and is highly drinkable.
5) Ayinger Brau-Weisse Hefeweizen. This is a sweet beer. Both sweet in the colloquial (awesome) sense, and sweet in the sugary sense. They're pouring it a little strangely--I was lucky enough to get the bottom of the bottle, and they're not pouring it like a hefe, so I've gotten a load of the unfiltered yeast and wheat remainders. Packing a ton of flavor--all the usual hefe stuff and some citrus as well. In fairness, I may only have been getting such a heavy dose of flavor because I was lucky enough to get the bottom of the bottle. About to try Al's (poured from the top of a bottle): similar flavor profile, just muted when you compare it to mine. Still, a good flavor.
6) Monchshof Schwarzbier. Haven't tasted it yet, but the nose is sheer heaven--dark fruits, a detectable alcohol undertone, and some beet sugar flavor. Al's getting chocolate, which I think I'm getting as plums and dark berry. The flavor doesn't hold up to the nose, unfortunately--it's a little on the watery end, with some nice flavors, but they're relatively weak flavors. I'm definitely getting more chocolate on the taste, but losing a lot of the interesting fruits. Some hints of Rauschbier smoked flavors that don't really mesh with the rest of the flavor profile.
7) Schneider and Sohn Aventinus Doppelbock. Beer Advocate loves this one as well--I've reviewed the Ayinger Celebrator elsewhere on this blog, another BA-hyped doppelbock. Strong nose--some chocolate, some alcohol, some Oktoberfest sugar... the taste actually keeps up with the nose on this one--it's complex and interesting, lots of cool flavors, with some nice clove background, and other tasty excitingness.
That's all, folks. Some excellent beers... but anyone (NICK) who thinks Germany should win the Ale-lympics has another think coming.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Old World/New World: East Coast/West Coast
Another LiveBlog... 3 styles, 3 takes (Europe, East Coast US, West Coast US) on each one of them.
A. Lagers:
1) Paulaner Pilsner--you all know this one by now. If you don't, go try the damn thing.
2) Buzzards Bay Lager--not sure which one specifically... let's be honest... you've had 400 East-Coast American lagers at this point. This one's just fine, but nothing special... it's pretty hairy on the finish--American brewers need to figure out how to balance the hoppiness in some of these. This is one of those.
3) Anchor Steam Beer--California Common is anything but. I doubt any of you need my thoughts on one of the most-discussed American brews. Thanks for saving craft-brewing, and thanks for a delicious brew.
B. IPAs:
Despite the recent trend of intense IPA-hatred among brew-heads, we've got three offerings.
1) Burton IPA--raise your hand if you've ever had a true English IPA. What? Nobody?!? This stuff is hard to come by, but it is the right way to have an IPA. So much more dynamic than the American pretenders, with fascinating malt on the front and a near-caramel syrupy undersweet. The hop character is still powerful and still strong, but it's balanced. And interesting. Which makes it radically different than the American IPAs. (Which I still love).
2) Berkshire Brewing Company (BBC) IPA--welcome to America. Still, more balanced and interesting than most of the American IPAs--some interesting fruit, and some sweet malts that come through at the front. Worth a try, especially if you're a fan of the style.
3) Green Flash IPA--the Westest of the West Coast. Very green taste at the front, and the hops are fun, but you absolutely can't taste the malt one bit. Too bad, because it's an interesting hop profile, and some balance would make it one hell of a beer.
Porters:
1) Samuel Smith Tadcaster--readers, you know what I mean when I say something is a dogshow beer, yes? This one is a dogshow beer. In a big way. I appreciate a good porter, and this is a very pure porter--maybe even a little bit less roasted flavor than most. It's good stuff.
2) Mayflower Porter--perhaps too roasted, a little too sharp on the bottom, but otherwise, tasty.
3) Mad River Steelhead Stout--some chocolate on the nose; a little reminiscent of the Abita TurboDog with the sweet scent. Good malt balance on the nose as well. Well-rounded on the front, with a little hidden sugar and chocolate, largely overwhelmed by slightly dry malts. The middle bottoms out a little bit (unsurprising, since the bottle bills it as a "Scotch Style Porter,) and rolls smoothly into a nicely roasted finish with a tiny bit of very dark fruit peeking through. This is emphatically NOT a session beer, but it is an excellent single-glass beer.
A. Lagers:
1) Paulaner Pilsner--you all know this one by now. If you don't, go try the damn thing.
2) Buzzards Bay Lager--not sure which one specifically... let's be honest... you've had 400 East-Coast American lagers at this point. This one's just fine, but nothing special... it's pretty hairy on the finish--American brewers need to figure out how to balance the hoppiness in some of these. This is one of those.
3) Anchor Steam Beer--California Common is anything but. I doubt any of you need my thoughts on one of the most-discussed American brews. Thanks for saving craft-brewing, and thanks for a delicious brew.
B. IPAs:
Despite the recent trend of intense IPA-hatred among brew-heads, we've got three offerings.
1) Burton IPA--raise your hand if you've ever had a true English IPA. What? Nobody?!? This stuff is hard to come by, but it is the right way to have an IPA. So much more dynamic than the American pretenders, with fascinating malt on the front and a near-caramel syrupy undersweet. The hop character is still powerful and still strong, but it's balanced. And interesting. Which makes it radically different than the American IPAs. (Which I still love).
2) Berkshire Brewing Company (BBC) IPA--welcome to America. Still, more balanced and interesting than most of the American IPAs--some interesting fruit, and some sweet malts that come through at the front. Worth a try, especially if you're a fan of the style.
3) Green Flash IPA--the Westest of the West Coast. Very green taste at the front, and the hops are fun, but you absolutely can't taste the malt one bit. Too bad, because it's an interesting hop profile, and some balance would make it one hell of a beer.
Porters:
1) Samuel Smith Tadcaster--readers, you know what I mean when I say something is a dogshow beer, yes? This one is a dogshow beer. In a big way. I appreciate a good porter, and this is a very pure porter--maybe even a little bit less roasted flavor than most. It's good stuff.
2) Mayflower Porter--perhaps too roasted, a little too sharp on the bottom, but otherwise, tasty.
3) Mad River Steelhead Stout--some chocolate on the nose; a little reminiscent of the Abita TurboDog with the sweet scent. Good malt balance on the nose as well. Well-rounded on the front, with a little hidden sugar and chocolate, largely overwhelmed by slightly dry malts. The middle bottoms out a little bit (unsurprising, since the bottle bills it as a "Scotch Style Porter,) and rolls smoothly into a nicely roasted finish with a tiny bit of very dark fruit peeking through. This is emphatically NOT a session beer, but it is an excellent single-glass beer.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
LiveBlog of a Beer Event
At a fall-tasting event for a beer club... thought it might be a nice return to the blog to liveblog the tasting. It looks like we'll be tasting 9 different beers.
#1) Spaten Oktoberfest
It looks like one of two actual German Oktoberfests on this evening's menu. Very sweet, but more sting on the front than I'd expect from an Oktoberfest with the kind of acclaim that usually accompanies this beer. Nice honey in the nose. I'm NOT an Oktoberfest guy, but if you are, this one's a solid example of the style.
#2) Paulaner Oktoberfest
Actual German Oktoberfest numero dos. A mellower nose, and a mellower flavor as well. The sweet isn't quite as overwhelming, and the beer has an almost distilled quality to it. It's very clean, but maybe a little too clean. Or maybe I just don't like the sickly-sweet Oktoberfestiness.
#3) Otter Creek Oktoberfest
My concerns with Otter Creek are well-documented elsewhere on this blog. This beer does NOTHING to alleviate my problems with them. Someone at Otter Creek missed the memo suggesting that Oktoberfests be smooth... it's the one positive trait of the style, and this beer's got enough front-side carbonation to prevent the word "smooth" from entering the conversation.
#4) Brooklyn Oktoberfest
Another Oktoberfest. My cup runneth over. Or something. Less sickly sweet than the Otter Creek--still an inappropriate amount of front-end carbonation, and definitely some clear notes of syrup once the carbonation recedes... but still, altogether too sickly. The nose isn't bad--it reminds me a bit of Otter-San, the Otter Creek sake-lager... not sure if that's what you want in an Oktober, but there it is.
#5) Berskshire Oktoberfest
Barleywine on the nose. Or maybe taffy/toffee. Haven't tasted it yet, but it may be the beer with the shot to redeem Oktoberfests... Here goes the taste. Completely and totally hopless, but a fair bit of acid, especially on the finish. It's very sweet, but not as syrupy as the others. I like it the most of the bunch, but that's probably because it's really not an Oktoberfest. Apparently 6.8% ABV... but it's not hidden at all. Al and I both suspected it would be higher, higher, higher.
Now we move to the pumpkins. Nick would be sad to know that Shipyard's Pumpkinhead isn't here, and there's only one beer here that I haven't had before, but the three I have had are all excellent pumpkins.
#6) Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale
This beer just smells like autumn. The Australian next to me just said, "this is my first pumpkin beer. I kind of like, sort of a strong aftertaste. Crazy pumpkin beer." Thank you Australia. "Pumpkin is not a dessert fruit. It is a vegetable. And while I'm at it, what the hell is the difference between pumpkin and butternut squash?" Apparently in Australia, butternut squash are called "butternut pumpkins." Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi.
Back to the beer: really nice nose. Lots of spice going on... nutmeg and cinnamon for sure. The pumpkin's overwhelmed in the beer, but it's still a nice beer--it's just not much of a pumpkin. Good spice--it would actually be a pretty nice winter.
#7) Post Road Pumpkin Ale
This is the pumpkin offering that I've never had before. It's apparently Brooklyn's pumpkin beer. Pumpkin on the nose, but still dominantly spices. Similar flavor to the Smuttynose... same spices, more pumpkin, but the spices are largely identical. I'm definitely in the minority on this, but I've never been crazy about Brooklyn's stuff in general--this is no exception. It's good, but it's far from great.
#8) Dogfish Head Punk
A good one. I'm pretty sure I've talked about it before... so I won't bore you again.
#9) Southern Tier Punking
Readers, you know Nick's and my feelings on Southern Tier. That is to say, our feelings on EVERYTHING the brewery produces. This beer is no exception. With no offense to Nick's favorite beer, the ever-delicious Pumpkinhead, this beer is far and away the finest of the pumpkins. End of story. I will admit, for what it's worth, that it's tough to drink on the tail-end of eight other beers. The vanilla and coconut are a little overwhelming if you're not drinking it earlier in the night.
Sadly, must run to another meeting. Adieu, readers. Adieu.
#1) Spaten Oktoberfest
It looks like one of two actual German Oktoberfests on this evening's menu. Very sweet, but more sting on the front than I'd expect from an Oktoberfest with the kind of acclaim that usually accompanies this beer. Nice honey in the nose. I'm NOT an Oktoberfest guy, but if you are, this one's a solid example of the style.
#2) Paulaner Oktoberfest
Actual German Oktoberfest numero dos. A mellower nose, and a mellower flavor as well. The sweet isn't quite as overwhelming, and the beer has an almost distilled quality to it. It's very clean, but maybe a little too clean. Or maybe I just don't like the sickly-sweet Oktoberfestiness.
#3) Otter Creek Oktoberfest
My concerns with Otter Creek are well-documented elsewhere on this blog. This beer does NOTHING to alleviate my problems with them. Someone at Otter Creek missed the memo suggesting that Oktoberfests be smooth... it's the one positive trait of the style, and this beer's got enough front-side carbonation to prevent the word "smooth" from entering the conversation.
#4) Brooklyn Oktoberfest
Another Oktoberfest. My cup runneth over. Or something. Less sickly sweet than the Otter Creek--still an inappropriate amount of front-end carbonation, and definitely some clear notes of syrup once the carbonation recedes... but still, altogether too sickly. The nose isn't bad--it reminds me a bit of Otter-San, the Otter Creek sake-lager... not sure if that's what you want in an Oktober, but there it is.
#5) Berskshire Oktoberfest
Barleywine on the nose. Or maybe taffy/toffee. Haven't tasted it yet, but it may be the beer with the shot to redeem Oktoberfests... Here goes the taste. Completely and totally hopless, but a fair bit of acid, especially on the finish. It's very sweet, but not as syrupy as the others. I like it the most of the bunch, but that's probably because it's really not an Oktoberfest. Apparently 6.8% ABV... but it's not hidden at all. Al and I both suspected it would be higher, higher, higher.
Now we move to the pumpkins. Nick would be sad to know that Shipyard's Pumpkinhead isn't here, and there's only one beer here that I haven't had before, but the three I have had are all excellent pumpkins.
#6) Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale
This beer just smells like autumn. The Australian next to me just said, "this is my first pumpkin beer. I kind of like, sort of a strong aftertaste. Crazy pumpkin beer." Thank you Australia. "Pumpkin is not a dessert fruit. It is a vegetable. And while I'm at it, what the hell is the difference between pumpkin and butternut squash?" Apparently in Australia, butternut squash are called "butternut pumpkins." Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi.
Back to the beer: really nice nose. Lots of spice going on... nutmeg and cinnamon for sure. The pumpkin's overwhelmed in the beer, but it's still a nice beer--it's just not much of a pumpkin. Good spice--it would actually be a pretty nice winter.
#7) Post Road Pumpkin Ale
This is the pumpkin offering that I've never had before. It's apparently Brooklyn's pumpkin beer. Pumpkin on the nose, but still dominantly spices. Similar flavor to the Smuttynose... same spices, more pumpkin, but the spices are largely identical. I'm definitely in the minority on this, but I've never been crazy about Brooklyn's stuff in general--this is no exception. It's good, but it's far from great.
#8) Dogfish Head Punk
A good one. I'm pretty sure I've talked about it before... so I won't bore you again.
#9) Southern Tier Punking
Readers, you know Nick's and my feelings on Southern Tier. That is to say, our feelings on EVERYTHING the brewery produces. This beer is no exception. With no offense to Nick's favorite beer, the ever-delicious Pumpkinhead, this beer is far and away the finest of the pumpkins. End of story. I will admit, for what it's worth, that it's tough to drink on the tail-end of eight other beers. The vanilla and coconut are a little overwhelming if you're not drinking it earlier in the night.
Sadly, must run to another meeting. Adieu, readers. Adieu.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Mascots and 'Gansett
No progress yet on an interview with new Naragansett Beer co-owner Troy Brown, however, the boys at 'Gansett have been busy with some fun new ideas for getting their name out there. My personal favorites: leaving a crate of tall boys for Henry Louis Gates and this video of their two company mascots.
If there's one thing in this world we can all agree on, it's that we need more mascots.
If there's one thing in this world we can all agree on, it's that we need more mascots.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
OLD BEER
Quick post. I'm at my uncle's rather lovely house on the Delaware coast right now... and last night, we had some delicious Blue Crabs. Setting aside the joy of beating the crap out of dinner with a mallet, I faced the difficult situation of being in a house with no decent beer.
I found a single bottle of Newcastle, and decided it would be the best I could do... and when I tasted it, it literally tasted like pure acetone. When I poured out the contents, I found that it was actually sticking to the entire bottom eighth of the bottle. Ugh. I settled for a MILLER GENUINE DRAFT instead. Look... I really wanted something that was vaguely beer-like. But again, UGH.
This really does beg a question... why don't people get rid of old beer? My uncle isn't exactly someone who doesn't know that beer goes bad... he definitely knows that it can and that it does. But he's not the only person who keeps beer well after it's gone bad, bad, bad. What gives, surprising number of readers? Why don't people chuck old beer?
I found a single bottle of Newcastle, and decided it would be the best I could do... and when I tasted it, it literally tasted like pure acetone. When I poured out the contents, I found that it was actually sticking to the entire bottom eighth of the bottle. Ugh. I settled for a MILLER GENUINE DRAFT instead. Look... I really wanted something that was vaguely beer-like. But again, UGH.
This really does beg a question... why don't people get rid of old beer? My uncle isn't exactly someone who doesn't know that beer goes bad... he definitely knows that it can and that it does. But he's not the only person who keeps beer well after it's gone bad, bad, bad. What gives, surprising number of readers? Why don't people chuck old beer?
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Iniquity Liquidity
Nick's and my feelings on Southern Tier are well-established by this point.
I will admit that I have one small problem with their beers; they're bottled almost exclusively in 22 oz. bottles (an inconvenient size)--these bottles sometime cost a bit more than you might want to pay. But let's be honest. It's completely and totally worth it.
Every beer these people brew? DELICIOUS. MAGNIFICENT. EXQUISITE.
So I bought a Southern Tier Iniquity; apparently a "Black Ale". I knew nothing about the style or the Iniquity in particular. As with every other Southern Tier beer, the gamble more than paid off. It pours like a Guinness or any other stout: very very dark and thick, but with a browner, lighter, and taller head than most stouts. The taste is different from anything else I've tasted. Definitely an ale backbone, but with some SLIGHTLY roasted notes, and a really sweet finish that doesn't show up in most ales. As usual with Southern Tier, the hop balance is beautiful and interesting, with a strong and clear hop presence, but without overpowering hops and spice.
So, a question for the mysterious readers who have started to pop up (welcome, btw, everyone!). What do you think about the approach of buying beers based on the brewery, regardless of the particular style or brew? I've become convinced that ANYTHING Southern Tier brews is worth buying and drinking, regardless of what it is.
I will admit that I have one small problem with their beers; they're bottled almost exclusively in 22 oz. bottles (an inconvenient size)--these bottles sometime cost a bit more than you might want to pay. But let's be honest. It's completely and totally worth it.
Every beer these people brew? DELICIOUS. MAGNIFICENT. EXQUISITE.
So I bought a Southern Tier Iniquity; apparently a "Black Ale". I knew nothing about the style or the Iniquity in particular. As with every other Southern Tier beer, the gamble more than paid off. It pours like a Guinness or any other stout: very very dark and thick, but with a browner, lighter, and taller head than most stouts. The taste is different from anything else I've tasted. Definitely an ale backbone, but with some SLIGHTLY roasted notes, and a really sweet finish that doesn't show up in most ales. As usual with Southern Tier, the hop balance is beautiful and interesting, with a strong and clear hop presence, but without overpowering hops and spice.
So, a question for the mysterious readers who have started to pop up (welcome, btw, everyone!). What do you think about the approach of buying beers based on the brewery, regardless of the particular style or brew? I've become convinced that ANYTHING Southern Tier brews is worth buying and drinking, regardless of what it is.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Death of a Classic?
I had a Sam Summer Ale last night... this year's batch, still within expiration dates. It was reasonably awful; almost tasted like it may have skunked, but that seems unlikely, since Sam uses those clever brown-glass bottles and I'm pretty careful to keep my beer out of bright light anyway.
Anyone else out there (I like pretending that there are people who read this besides Nick) have the Sam Summer this year? Is it a crappy batch? I had another well-loved seasonal brew this summer (the Bell's Oberon--review forthcoming, and it was also sub-par, according to some beer-friends who know the beer well). Bad year for summer beers? Or did I just get a bad bottle?
Anyone else out there (I like pretending that there are people who read this besides Nick) have the Sam Summer this year? Is it a crappy batch? I had another well-loved seasonal brew this summer (the Bell's Oberon--review forthcoming, and it was also sub-par, according to some beer-friends who know the beer well). Bad year for summer beers? Or did I just get a bad bottle?
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Post-Workout Brew
Drinking a Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA in the shower after a hard workout at the gym. Is there anything better?
Of the two of us, Nick's definitely the hop-head. I like hoppy beers more than 99% of the general beer drinking population, but Nick is one of a handful of people who's got me beat.
That said, in my humble opinion, there may not be a better widely available beer for the price than the Dogfish 90 Minute. Make no mistake--this IPA does not hold a handle to the 120 Minute, (nor, in fairness, is it a true IPA in the vein of a Drake's--maybe an IPA history rant is in order for a later post,) but for the entirely affordable price of a four-pack, this beer kicks ass.
Well-rounded, hoppy enough to satisfy most hopheads, (they add hops for 90 minutes and dry-hop the crap out of the thing,) but also well balanced by some fascinating malt notes you won't find anywhere else. Besides their 120, of course, which may be my single favorite American brew.
Anyway, ladies, go pick one up. And feel free to join me in the shower with the four-pack.
Of the two of us, Nick's definitely the hop-head. I like hoppy beers more than 99% of the general beer drinking population, but Nick is one of a handful of people who's got me beat.
That said, in my humble opinion, there may not be a better widely available beer for the price than the Dogfish 90 Minute. Make no mistake--this IPA does not hold a handle to the 120 Minute, (nor, in fairness, is it a true IPA in the vein of a Drake's--maybe an IPA history rant is in order for a later post,) but for the entirely affordable price of a four-pack, this beer kicks ass.
Well-rounded, hoppy enough to satisfy most hopheads, (they add hops for 90 minutes and dry-hop the crap out of the thing,) but also well balanced by some fascinating malt notes you won't find anywhere else. Besides their 120, of course, which may be my single favorite American brew.
Anyway, ladies, go pick one up. And feel free to join me in the shower with the four-pack.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
In Defense of Snobs
I ran into an awkward beer-related situation this weekend. It was my grandmother's birthday so family members from far and wide came together for a weekend of celebrating.
On Saturday night, an uncle and I were discussing our most recent beer discoveries when a cousin chimed in. We started to talk about our mutual love of beer and he told me that he’d brought a case of a beer that he was “sure I’d really love.” He explained that he’d only learned about it recently and that it has a nice light body with a hint of lime. Intrigued, I went to the fridge to take a look.
Unfortunately, this is what I found.
How does one deal with this type of situation? I really didn’t want to drink Bud Lime but I didn’t want to offend my cousin by turning down his beer. Making matters worse, it was the only beer at the party (my family is mostly cocktail drinkers and teetotalers). My options at this point seemed to be (a) suffer through a beer I really can’t stand or (b) risk insulting my cousin’s taste by coming out of the kitchen with lemonade.
If you know me, you know I spent the rest of the night sipping lemonade. I politely explained to my cousin that I’d had his new favorite brew before and didn’t really like it. He didn’t seem too miffed but I could tell what he was thinking: Beer Snob.
I’ve always resented that term because it’s always spoken with such malice. Someone who loves wine is a “connoisseur,” someone who makes great food is a “gourmet,” but someone who loves fine beer is a “snob”? Why the disdain?
Then again, why should I be ashamed of my beer knowledge? Why should I apologize for ordering an Anchor Steam when everyone around me is drinking Coors? Why should I fear someone rolling his eyes when I choose a good non-beer over a bad beer?
That’s it beer lovers. We’ve got to stand up for ourselves! Let’s take back the term beer snob! If drinking what I like makes me a snob, fine, I’m a snob. If drinking a refreshing, flavorful, and incredibly tasty beer makes me a snob, then you bet your ass I’m a snob.
On Saturday night, an uncle and I were discussing our most recent beer discoveries when a cousin chimed in. We started to talk about our mutual love of beer and he told me that he’d brought a case of a beer that he was “sure I’d really love.” He explained that he’d only learned about it recently and that it has a nice light body with a hint of lime. Intrigued, I went to the fridge to take a look.
Unfortunately, this is what I found.
How does one deal with this type of situation? I really didn’t want to drink Bud Lime but I didn’t want to offend my cousin by turning down his beer. Making matters worse, it was the only beer at the party (my family is mostly cocktail drinkers and teetotalers). My options at this point seemed to be (a) suffer through a beer I really can’t stand or (b) risk insulting my cousin’s taste by coming out of the kitchen with lemonade.
If you know me, you know I spent the rest of the night sipping lemonade. I politely explained to my cousin that I’d had his new favorite brew before and didn’t really like it. He didn’t seem too miffed but I could tell what he was thinking: Beer Snob.
I’ve always resented that term because it’s always spoken with such malice. Someone who loves wine is a “connoisseur,” someone who makes great food is a “gourmet,” but someone who loves fine beer is a “snob”? Why the disdain?
Then again, why should I be ashamed of my beer knowledge? Why should I apologize for ordering an Anchor Steam when everyone around me is drinking Coors? Why should I fear someone rolling his eyes when I choose a good non-beer over a bad beer?
That’s it beer lovers. We’ve got to stand up for ourselves! Let’s take back the term beer snob! If drinking what I like makes me a snob, fine, I’m a snob. If drinking a refreshing, flavorful, and incredibly tasty beer makes me a snob, then you bet your ass I’m a snob.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Re: Obama's Beer
Following up on Mark's post:
I'm really let down by this most recent turn of events. I'm not talking about what Obama said about the police officer (I see no reason to get worked up over it, unlike some people). I'm talking about his utter failure to follow through on an extremely important campaign promise.
Last year, I endorsed then-Senator Obama after reading this news story. It explained that the president was a fan of microbrews, while Senator McCain preferred Bud Light. Now we find out that for the most highly anticipated beer in White House history, President Obama has chosen to drink that very same disgusting beverage.
For a beer lover like me, this is a stomach punch. This is like "Read my lips," but with a nasty after taste.
Mr. President, please, for the good of the nation, don't drink that beer.
---------------
Addendum: President Obama actually has two separate beers named after him. Why not serve one of those?
I'm really let down by this most recent turn of events. I'm not talking about what Obama said about the police officer (I see no reason to get worked up over it, unlike some people). I'm talking about his utter failure to follow through on an extremely important campaign promise.
Last year, I endorsed then-Senator Obama after reading this news story. It explained that the president was a fan of microbrews, while Senator McCain preferred Bud Light. Now we find out that for the most highly anticipated beer in White House history, President Obama has chosen to drink that very same disgusting beverage.
For a beer lover like me, this is a stomach punch. This is like "Read my lips," but with a nasty after taste.
Mr. President, please, for the good of the nation, don't drink that beer.
---------------
Addendum: President Obama actually has two separate beers named after him. Why not serve one of those?
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Clearly, beer is not an election issue.
Obama's taste in beer is questionable at best, downright awful at worst.
Jim Koch is really the only one coming off well in this article.
Jim Koch is really the only one coming off well in this article.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Curieuxity Killed the Cat
But satisfaction brought him back.
The funny juices aren't flowing today, and work internet sucks... so bear with a fairly unfunny post.
Nick and I were at some beer festival not all too long ago, when, as frequently happens at these events, we happened to notice one of the brewers of a popular brewery staffing his own table.
The brewer was Rob Tod, the genius behind the delicious brews from the Allagash Brewery of Maine. As we always do when we run into brewers, Nick and I stopped to chat. We asked him what he had at the Festival that we probably hadn't tried, and he immediately gave us both identical near-orange pulls of something or other.
"We're using bourbon barrels to age this one," he said.
That much was clear--the beer, allegedly a tripel, was filled with additional sweetness, additional spice, and a completely different alcohol finish. It was, to put it simply, f'ing delicious.
Unfortunately, Nick and I had gotten to the Allagash booth a little late in the day's activities, and neither of us really had the chance to enjoy this beer, the Allagash Curieux, as much as we would've liked.
Last evening, a friend brought a 750 of the magical brew to a small party; there were five of us, and we drank about half...
It's even better when you're sober.
The beer pours unbelievably light--it's got a slight orange hue, and it's definitely cloudy, but it glows, even in a room with relatively low light. The aroma is citrus, with a hint of banana or clove--standard tripel nose. The fruit literally explodes on first taste. Citrus, banana, and some heavy clove spice... not overpowering, but definitely heavier than what you'd get from a normal tripel. Far more complex than the dogshow tripels of the world. The bourbon residue and smoke has also done a nice job suppressing the typical bubble gumminess of the style.
The real wonder of the bourbon barrel ageing doesn't even become totally apparent until far later in the glass. Like any tripel, the Curieux is on the boozy end of the spectrum at 11%. The alcohol finish on the Curieux is surprisingly pleasant--it has a hint of the roasted flavor that plagues the micro-stouts and porters which constitute most bourbon barrel offerings, but is also pleasantly mild and not overpowering. The alcohol is NOT hidden, but is smooth and utterly inoffensive. It elevates the mouthfeel to a whole new level (that's what she said...) and actually leaves the best part of the beer for the end.
Go get a bottle. You'll be damn glad you did.
The funny juices aren't flowing today, and work internet sucks... so bear with a fairly unfunny post.
Nick and I were at some beer festival not all too long ago, when, as frequently happens at these events, we happened to notice one of the brewers of a popular brewery staffing his own table.
The brewer was Rob Tod, the genius behind the delicious brews from the Allagash Brewery of Maine. As we always do when we run into brewers, Nick and I stopped to chat. We asked him what he had at the Festival that we probably hadn't tried, and he immediately gave us both identical near-orange pulls of something or other.
"We're using bourbon barrels to age this one," he said.
That much was clear--the beer, allegedly a tripel, was filled with additional sweetness, additional spice, and a completely different alcohol finish. It was, to put it simply, f'ing delicious.
Unfortunately, Nick and I had gotten to the Allagash booth a little late in the day's activities, and neither of us really had the chance to enjoy this beer, the Allagash Curieux, as much as we would've liked.
Last evening, a friend brought a 750 of the magical brew to a small party; there were five of us, and we drank about half...
It's even better when you're sober.
The beer pours unbelievably light--it's got a slight orange hue, and it's definitely cloudy, but it glows, even in a room with relatively low light. The aroma is citrus, with a hint of banana or clove--standard tripel nose. The fruit literally explodes on first taste. Citrus, banana, and some heavy clove spice... not overpowering, but definitely heavier than what you'd get from a normal tripel. Far more complex than the dogshow tripels of the world. The bourbon residue and smoke has also done a nice job suppressing the typical bubble gumminess of the style.
The real wonder of the bourbon barrel ageing doesn't even become totally apparent until far later in the glass. Like any tripel, the Curieux is on the boozy end of the spectrum at 11%. The alcohol finish on the Curieux is surprisingly pleasant--it has a hint of the roasted flavor that plagues the micro-stouts and porters which constitute most bourbon barrel offerings, but is also pleasantly mild and not overpowering. The alcohol is NOT hidden, but is smooth and utterly inoffensive. It elevates the mouthfeel to a whole new level (that's what she said...) and actually leaves the best part of the beer for the end.
Go get a bottle. You'll be damn glad you did.
BREAKING BEER NEWS:
Former Patriots star Troy Brown is now part owner of the recently revived classic New England lager, Narragansett Beer.
Brown's association with 'Gansett is just the latest addition to the company's long tradition with New England sports. In the fifties and sixties, it was the offical beer of the Boston Red Sox and before that, 'Gansett was a major sponsor of the Boston Braves.
I won't lie, 'Gansett isn't exactly the highest quality beer on the market. It falls into the "let's make a beer that won't offend anyone" category of most major American beers. However, it has a long history in my home state and, as far as I'm concerned, if I'm going to drink a cheap beer, I'm going to drink one from a small local company rather than a giant conglomorate that treats its workers like shit.
BeerHappens is currently working with a contact at Narragansett Beer to arrange an interview with the three-time world champion football star and budding beer entrepreneur. We'll keep you posted.
Brown's association with 'Gansett is just the latest addition to the company's long tradition with New England sports. In the fifties and sixties, it was the offical beer of the Boston Red Sox and before that, 'Gansett was a major sponsor of the Boston Braves.
I won't lie, 'Gansett isn't exactly the highest quality beer on the market. It falls into the "let's make a beer that won't offend anyone" category of most major American beers. However, it has a long history in my home state and, as far as I'm concerned, if I'm going to drink a cheap beer, I'm going to drink one from a small local company rather than a giant conglomorate that treats its workers like shit.
BeerHappens is currently working with a contact at Narragansett Beer to arrange an interview with the three-time world champion football star and budding beer entrepreneur. We'll keep you posted.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Let It Beet
Recently, a friend and I went to a barbeque during the few hours of sunshine we’ve had this summer. On the ride over, we stopped to pick up some beverages at a package store I’d never been to before. The selection was pretty limited but we did manage to find a six-pack of Magic Hat’s summer brew, Wacko.
Despite the name, there’s really only one weird thing about this beer: the color. It’s a very unassuming beer; a little sweet and lightly hopped with a medium body. Not really much to write home about except for that color. Seriously, look at that thing. It looks more like a Shirley Temple than a beer. Obviously, I’ve seen red ales before but they’re generally not bright red like Wacko is.
A tiny bit of research reveals that the Magic Hat guys achieved this fantastic hue by adding beet juice into the boil. My response, like yours I’m sure was: Really? Beet juice? I’d never even heard of such a thing. I mean, I guess there’s no reason you couldn’t juice a beet, but who thought of that? (Answer: probably Jack Lalanne.)
However they came up with this brew, let’s all just be thankful that it doesn’t taste like beets. The downside is that it doesn’t taste like much of anything. Even though it’s a pretty bland beer, it still ranks at #2 on the list of my favorite things associated with beets. What’s #1? “Killer Tofu” of course.
Despite the name, there’s really only one weird thing about this beer: the color. It’s a very unassuming beer; a little sweet and lightly hopped with a medium body. Not really much to write home about except for that color. Seriously, look at that thing. It looks more like a Shirley Temple than a beer. Obviously, I’ve seen red ales before but they’re generally not bright red like Wacko is.
A tiny bit of research reveals that the Magic Hat guys achieved this fantastic hue by adding beet juice into the boil. My response, like yours I’m sure was: Really? Beet juice? I’d never even heard of such a thing. I mean, I guess there’s no reason you couldn’t juice a beet, but who thought of that? (Answer: probably Jack Lalanne.)
However they came up with this brew, let’s all just be thankful that it doesn’t taste like beets. The downside is that it doesn’t taste like much of anything. Even though it’s a pretty bland beer, it still ranks at #2 on the list of my favorite things associated with beets. What’s #1? “Killer Tofu” of course.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Sorry 'bout that
Hey Ladies-
Nick and I are sorry. Beer does, as the blog title suggests, happen. Unfortunately, so does other stuff. We've both been very busy... but fear not. We both still drink plenty of beer, too.
So hopefully we're back for real this time--the hiatus (and what a hiatus it was), is over, and your favorite beer bloggers (of course, now that TheLadyFriend and I are no longer an item, we have no readership left,) are back.
No beer in tonight's post; I've had some great beers since last posting, some good beers since last posting, and some AWFUL beers since last posting. From here on out, anything worth mentioning, whether it's great, awful, or just interesting, you'll hear about it from me right here.
Presumably Nick will also go on rants about how beer isn't hoppy enough and how fruit has no place in a man's beer.
It's good to be back. I've missed writing a blog and pretending someone reads it.
-Mark
Nick and I are sorry. Beer does, as the blog title suggests, happen. Unfortunately, so does other stuff. We've both been very busy... but fear not. We both still drink plenty of beer, too.
So hopefully we're back for real this time--the hiatus (and what a hiatus it was), is over, and your favorite beer bloggers (of course, now that TheLadyFriend and I are no longer an item, we have no readership left,) are back.
No beer in tonight's post; I've had some great beers since last posting, some good beers since last posting, and some AWFUL beers since last posting. From here on out, anything worth mentioning, whether it's great, awful, or just interesting, you'll hear about it from me right here.
Presumably Nick will also go on rants about how beer isn't hoppy enough and how fruit has no place in a man's beer.
It's good to be back. I've missed writing a blog and pretending someone reads it.
-Mark
Friday, October 31, 2008
I'm Back!
Hey Ladies!
I've returned from the abyss. I was writing for another blog (www.presidentialdebateblog.com) that actually had some readership, strangely enough.
Anyway, I'm home. More writing about beer will soon follow.
In the interim, however, I feel that it is worth mentioning that I had a Simpler Times Lager recently.
All I'm going to say is that the Beer Purity Laws kept things simple. It doesn't make something "simpler" to include garbage adjuncts like corn. UGH.
Still, for the money, this beer is significantly better than its peer group. If you're a poor college student looking to get your drink on, this may be the way to go. Well-hidden high ABV also!
I've returned from the abyss. I was writing for another blog (www.presidentialdebateblog.com) that actually had some readership, strangely enough.
Anyway, I'm home. More writing about beer will soon follow.
In the interim, however, I feel that it is worth mentioning that I had a Simpler Times Lager recently.
All I'm going to say is that the Beer Purity Laws kept things simple. It doesn't make something "simpler" to include garbage adjuncts like corn. UGH.
Still, for the money, this beer is significantly better than its peer group. If you're a poor college student looking to get your drink on, this may be the way to go. Well-hidden high ABV also!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
I (heart) Autumn
Between apple cider and falling leaves, football, and the High Holidays, who doesn’t love sweater season? (answer)
The best part of the coming of autumn may just be the beer. Fall brews were what really got me into beer in the first place. During my (removed for legal reasons) year of college, a friend poured me a glass of Sam Adams Octoberfest and, for the first time, I experienced a beer with flavor. For that simple reason, I have a soft spot for Marzens and for pretty much all fall beers.
To celebrate the coming of my favorite beer season, here’s are a few quality autumn brews you should try before the trees go completely bare:
Sam Adams Octoberfest –
The best part of the coming of autumn may just be the beer. Fall brews were what really got me into beer in the first place. During my (removed for legal reasons) year of college, a friend poured me a glass of Sam Adams Octoberfest and, for the first time, I experienced a beer with flavor. For that simple reason, I have a soft spot for Marzens and for pretty much all fall beers.
To celebrate the coming of my favorite beer season, here’s are a few quality autumn brews you should try before the trees go completely bare:
Sam Adams Octoberfest –
As mentioned above, this is the brew that turned me into a beer-lover. It’s very malty but hopped enough to keep it from becoming sweet. The golden/amber color is very pretty (and matches the leaves in front of my house perfectly, by the by).
If you don’t believe me about how good this Marzen is, trust Bavarians: this was the first American beer ever allowed at Oktoberfest in Germany.
Wychwood Scarecrow–
If you don’t believe me about how good this Marzen is, trust Bavarians: this was the first American beer ever allowed at Oktoberfest in Germany.
Wychwood Scarecrow–
Up until this year, I’ve always seen this beer as Circle Master (anyone know if “circle master” is a britishism for scarecrow?). Whatever the reason for the name change, it’s a solid pale ale. On the lighter side for a fall beer but relatively heavy for a pale ale, it serves as a good training wheel for those who aren’t quite ready to give up on the lighter summer brews. Also cool about this beer, it’s 100% organic and so it gets the TreeHugger seal of approval.
Der Hirschbrau Doppelhirsch–
Der Hirschbrau Doppelhirsch–
I’ve discussed the Doppelhirsch before, but didn’t go into much detail. This is one you’re going to want to pour into nice big stein so you can take in the full experience. It’s got a great dark red/brown color with nice earthy aroma. I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was malt heavy but the hops that are there balance it out nicely.
When I picture the last barbeque of the year, I’m standing over the fire, grilling knockwurst and sipping this beer.
Southern Tier Pumking –
When I picture the last barbeque of the year, I’m standing over the fire, grilling knockwurst and sipping this beer.
Southern Tier Pumking –
Southern Tier continues their streak of surprising me and upping the ante for every other microbrewery with this one. Until I sampled Pumking, the only pumpkin beer I’d liked was my absolute favorite beer, Shipyard Pumpkinhead. I still like Shipyard’s more, but that’s like comparing apples to oranges or, more accurately, amber ales to imperials.
Pumking is heavy and has a high alcohol content for an autumn beer. It’s definitely not an everyday beer but next time you’re in the mood to get your mind blown, order one of these, and if you get the chance to have it on tap, do it.
Shipyard Pumpkinhead –
Pumking is heavy and has a high alcohol content for an autumn beer. It’s definitely not an everyday beer but next time you’re in the mood to get your mind blown, order one of these, and if you get the chance to have it on tap, do it.
Shipyard Pumpkinhead –
Friday, October 3, 2008
Battle of the Bulge
Sorry it’s taken me all week to give you my rundown of the Belgian Beer Fest we attended last Saturday. I certainly got my fill of that classic Belgian beer flavor and the lunch fare was certainly appropriate but overall, I don’t think I’ll be going back next year
This shouldn’t really be a surprise to any who’s heard me rant about Belgians before. While I appreciate Belgian brewers willingness to the push limits and try out new ideas, even when something seems really truly intriguing, most of the time I’m left wishing I’d ordered something else. Still, I went into this festival hoping they could make a convert out of me. Needless to say, this didn’t happen, but I still managed to find a few high quality brews among the over-carbonated, extra sweet, craziness that everyone around me was drinking.
Stone impressed me with their 08.08.08 Vertical Epic Ale, I had a nice conversation with one of their brewers and he explained that while the base of this beer is just plain old pale malt, they use oats, candi sugar, and a clove yeast, all of which combine to give it a light but really interesting flavor. There’s no fruit in this beer but the combination of hops they used create a citrusy flavor that was a hell of a lot more potent than my own attempts at citrus beers. It was weird for me to drink something from Stone that was as light as this; up until Saturday, Stone and Arrogant Bastard were pretty much synonymous to me. Kudos to these guys for being able to brew all over the spectrum.
I’d never had anything by Rohrbach before but I was drawn to them (perhaps because from across the room I misread their name). Their dubble and trippel were pretty standard but their Au Naturale Blonde was surprisingly good. Rohrbach is based in upstate New York, so unless a miracle happens, I probably won’t get the opportunity to try much more of their stuff.
Haverhill Brewery’s Honing Honey Pale Ale was fucking delicious. I spent the rest of the festival sampling other breweries' honings but none matched up. I was so intrigued by this one that I’ve already started researching honey beers and the best way to homebrew them. I love mead and I love beer so I should have known this day would come. Also Haverhill had the coolest taps at the festival. A staff member explained to me that when they moved into one of the old mill buildings they operate out of, they just found all these old wooden shoe molds and decided they couldn’t just toss them out. 10 bonus points right there.
Best in show would have to be Corsendonk’s Apple White. Hands down my favorite at the festival. I’d never had a good apple beer before and I’m not usually a witbier fan but the combination of the two, with relatively low carbonation, made for an exceptionally drinkable beer. The apple really was the strongest flavor but I don’t want you think this was like some strange apple juice concoction. This was still a beer, a beer with an awesome apple flavor.
Corsendonk’s people weren’t actually at the festival (an importer brought their stuff) so there wasn’t anyone well informed enough to answer my many questions about their brewing methods. I did do some research online afterwards and discovered that the Apple White is only 3.1% ABV! That’s incredibly low for any beer but especially for a Belgian. I knew it was light, but that’s lighter than Natty Light. This may be the least alcoholic good beer I’ve ever had. Could that be the secret to the maintaining the strong apple flavor? Nick = Confused. I have many many more questions about this beer’s lack of alcohol but for now let’s put all that aside and remember that it deserves a very strong endorsement.
Deciding on the worst beer at the festival may actually be the toughest question. I’ve narrowed it down to two, both from Lost Abbey: Orphan Annie and Ten Commandments. These beers had so much wrong with them (and that’s not counting being named after two movies that make me want to gouge out my eyeballs). There was a lot of buzz around the Orphan Annie because it’s left to ferment in used bourbon barrels. That’s a cool idea and an interesting piece of trivia but the beer still sucked. It was just too heavy and the alcohol taste was overpowering, which is pretty disappointing considering the many beers at the festival that had equal or higher ABVs and didn’t have nearly as much of alcohol taste. Mark said it tasted like a bad barley wine, which I think is an insult to barley wines.
Ten Commandments was equally awful. The guide provided by the festival called it a “Dark Farmhouse Ale with caramelized raisins, honey, rosemary, and Brettanomyces.” I call it sludge. Between this and Raison D’Etre, I am now completely convinced that raisins have no place in beer. Not to make this entire post about alcohol content, but this beer was listed at 9.5%, which is nothing to is nothing to scoff at and would definitely be a feat to mask completely, but like the Annie, the alcohol was the prominent flavor. Hey Lost Abbey, if I wanted to drink rubbing alcohol, I’d go to a rubbing alcohol festival but this is a beer festival.
All right, that’s my two cents on the Belgian Beer Fest. Hopefully, Mark will check in sometime soon with his take.
This shouldn’t really be a surprise to any who’s heard me rant about Belgians before. While I appreciate Belgian brewers willingness to the push limits and try out new ideas, even when something seems really truly intriguing, most of the time I’m left wishing I’d ordered something else. Still, I went into this festival hoping they could make a convert out of me. Needless to say, this didn’t happen, but I still managed to find a few high quality brews among the over-carbonated, extra sweet, craziness that everyone around me was drinking.
Stone impressed me with their 08.08.08 Vertical Epic Ale, I had a nice conversation with one of their brewers and he explained that while the base of this beer is just plain old pale malt, they use oats, candi sugar, and a clove yeast, all of which combine to give it a light but really interesting flavor. There’s no fruit in this beer but the combination of hops they used create a citrusy flavor that was a hell of a lot more potent than my own attempts at citrus beers. It was weird for me to drink something from Stone that was as light as this; up until Saturday, Stone and Arrogant Bastard were pretty much synonymous to me. Kudos to these guys for being able to brew all over the spectrum.
I’d never had anything by Rohrbach before but I was drawn to them (perhaps because from across the room I misread their name). Their dubble and trippel were pretty standard but their Au Naturale Blonde was surprisingly good. Rohrbach is based in upstate New York, so unless a miracle happens, I probably won’t get the opportunity to try much more of their stuff.
Haverhill Brewery’s Honing Honey Pale Ale was fucking delicious. I spent the rest of the festival sampling other breweries' honings but none matched up. I was so intrigued by this one that I’ve already started researching honey beers and the best way to homebrew them. I love mead and I love beer so I should have known this day would come. Also Haverhill had the coolest taps at the festival. A staff member explained to me that when they moved into one of the old mill buildings they operate out of, they just found all these old wooden shoe molds and decided they couldn’t just toss them out. 10 bonus points right there.
Best in show would have to be Corsendonk’s Apple White. Hands down my favorite at the festival. I’d never had a good apple beer before and I’m not usually a witbier fan but the combination of the two, with relatively low carbonation, made for an exceptionally drinkable beer. The apple really was the strongest flavor but I don’t want you think this was like some strange apple juice concoction. This was still a beer, a beer with an awesome apple flavor.
Corsendonk’s people weren’t actually at the festival (an importer brought their stuff) so there wasn’t anyone well informed enough to answer my many questions about their brewing methods. I did do some research online afterwards and discovered that the Apple White is only 3.1% ABV! That’s incredibly low for any beer but especially for a Belgian. I knew it was light, but that’s lighter than Natty Light. This may be the least alcoholic good beer I’ve ever had. Could that be the secret to the maintaining the strong apple flavor? Nick = Confused. I have many many more questions about this beer’s lack of alcohol but for now let’s put all that aside and remember that it deserves a very strong endorsement.
Deciding on the worst beer at the festival may actually be the toughest question. I’ve narrowed it down to two, both from Lost Abbey: Orphan Annie and Ten Commandments. These beers had so much wrong with them (and that’s not counting being named after two movies that make me want to gouge out my eyeballs). There was a lot of buzz around the Orphan Annie because it’s left to ferment in used bourbon barrels. That’s a cool idea and an interesting piece of trivia but the beer still sucked. It was just too heavy and the alcohol taste was overpowering, which is pretty disappointing considering the many beers at the festival that had equal or higher ABVs and didn’t have nearly as much of alcohol taste. Mark said it tasted like a bad barley wine, which I think is an insult to barley wines.
Ten Commandments was equally awful. The guide provided by the festival called it a “Dark Farmhouse Ale with caramelized raisins, honey, rosemary, and Brettanomyces.” I call it sludge. Between this and Raison D’Etre, I am now completely convinced that raisins have no place in beer. Not to make this entire post about alcohol content, but this beer was listed at 9.5%, which is nothing to is nothing to scoff at and would definitely be a feat to mask completely, but like the Annie, the alcohol was the prominent flavor. Hey Lost Abbey, if I wanted to drink rubbing alcohol, I’d go to a rubbing alcohol festival but this is a beer festival.
All right, that’s my two cents on the Belgian Beer Fest. Hopefully, Mark will check in sometime soon with his take.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Belgian Beer Fest
Tomorrow, Mark and I will be attending Beer Advocate's Belgian Beer Fest in Boston. While belgians certainly aren't my favorite beers I'm still extremely excited about this event.
It's sold out so we'll be sure to give you unlucky souls who can't be there in person a rundown of all the highs and lows next week.
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