Category: Uncategorized

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With More Velvet

Anything that Firestone Walker puts into a fancy box should be a must buy for beer fans and that goes double for Velvet Merkin, their barrel-aged oatmeal stout which is set to return in its third bottled vintage.

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What’s different?  The 2015 Velvet Merkin includes a barrel-aged lot of an experimental milk stout version of Velvet Merlin.

Then the beer was aged in bourbon barrels from the Heaven Hill family, including Elijah Craig and Old Fitzgerald.

The 2015 Velvet Merkin will be officially released at the brewery on Saturday, September 12. A total of 3,500 cases (22-ounce bottles; $16.99) were produced, with availability slated for select markets across the United States.

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The Adult Version of the Bounce House

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Yes, this is just plain silly. When I see a bounce house, I think of sticky and humid and loud. Granted the “blow-up” pub probably is non-bouncy but the last three attributes are probably there in abundance.

Now it would be better if it was a simple facade with tables behind it like a movie set. But honestly, who would rent one of these?

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Review – Hops from Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada has added a new bitter wrinkle to their IPA line-up with Hop Hunter but as I was beer shopping, I was also pointed to a new Golden IPA as well.

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Let the taste off begin!

These two IPA’s could not be any more different and both have elements that I really enjoy in my hop bombs but both also contain stuff I don’t like so much as well.

The Golden IPA has a mild tea like aroma and then it just punches you in the face with bitterness. It is really sharp on the tongue. It isn’t heavy in body though and it does have some white wine and grapefruit pith notes that blend well together. But that carbonated bitter blast really set me back on my heels.

The Hop Hunter with distilled hop oils also has an aroma/flavor disconnect. It is big on that cat pee aroma. Close to off putting levels. But then you take a sip and it is a symphony of flavors. Mango, a touch of vanilla and even grape notes as it warms and in the background is a bready cereal note that offsets the mild bitterness and leads to the next sip.

I guess if I forced to choose one, I would go with the Golden due mostly to the aroma on the Hop Hunter. It was just not appealing to me. And the sharpness of the Golden, though not my favorite, was not the distraction that the aroma was.

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Holiday Ale # 18 – Storm Surge from Diamond Knot

Diamond Knot Storm Surge

I get seasick just looking at this storm that is attacking this boat.  Much better to be on shore with a Diamond Knot beer in a glass than on the open sea.

“This is pretty complicated beer, at least by our standards (we normally love the old saying “Keep it simple, stupid!”).  We use 2-row pale malt, German Carared, Caramel 80, Carapils and Munich malts in the mash, then just before beginning to extract all the goodness from those malts, we sprinkle crushed Midnight Wheat over the grain bed to ‘stain’ the mash.

The effect of this little bit of brewhouse trickery is to pull only the color from the wheat while extracting just a hint of its roasty, coffee-like qualities.  Additions of a whole boatload of Chinook, Cascade, Simcoe and Columbus hops give this beer a lovely, layered bitterness that perfectly complements the complexity of the malts.  It’s very dark in color, but don’t let appearances deceive you; this beer is highly drinkable and perfect for those cold, stormy winter days when you want to dream of Spring. “

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Portland Beer – Thanksgiving 2014

It can take me awhile to process and put into words what a I have experienced. Especially with beer vacations. So while I string together some coherent thoughts, here are some photos from my recent trip back to the homeland…..

The new Fat Heads in Portland near Powell's Books
The new Fat Heads in Portland near Powell’s Books
Yup. Growler fills in grocery stores.
Yup. Growler fills in grocery stores.
My first visit to Ecliptic on South Mississippi.
My first visit to Ecliptic on South Mississippi.
The imaginative names at Ecliptic.
The imaginative names at Ecliptic.
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Just off the Turnip Truck…

…or perhaps a better way to headline this post is Born Yesterday.  A new beer coming from Lagunitas that will be hitting shelves soon and will only travel 24 hours from the source.

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I was treated to this news while at the Beer Bloggers Conference.  It will be around 6.2% and will have the now beloved Citra along with Mosaic and Willamette hops but the kicker is that the store will get it 24 hours after it is packaged.  This will be a beer that you MUST check the dates on.  Freshness will be key and I do not want to see reviews of stale Born Yesterday.  Lagunitas already makes one of my all time favorite beer in Sucks and a new favorite in Mandaraison (which damn well better come back) so you can expect goodness here.

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a Dogfish at Blue Palms

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Blue Palms will be hosting Dogfish Head  this Wednesday, February 5th with a large list of off-centered ales from Delaware.  Check out the list….

Taplist:
American Beauty
Immortal
Bitches Brew
Kvaisir
World Wide Stout
120 minute
90 minute
Aprihop
Burton Barton
Indian brown Ale
Midas Touch
Namaste Belgian Wit
Sah’tea
Chickory stout

(I’ve highlighted the beers that I would choose)

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When it Rains, It Let’s Pours – Part 2

Thanks to my extremely kind and generous sister and her familia up in Oregon, I purchased a nice selection of beers from three East Coast breweries from my choice for internet craft beer sellers, Let’s Pour.

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I got doubles of the Resin and Global Warmer because I wanted more than 12ozs to sample!

Yes, there will be a third installment which means many, many reviews in the coming weeks.

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T-Day Recipes

I have had the distinct pleasure of having the Home Brew Chef, Sean Paxton designing a beer dinner that I attended.  And I always read, with interest his recipes in Beer Advocate magazine.  And (last “and”), I try to remember to link to his site for Thanksgiving recipes.

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So, HERE it is.  Try a craft beer recipe this Thanksgiving!