365 different beers from 365 different breweries in 365 days with random musings on beer, food, music, sports, dogs and anything else interesting along the way
Day #470 Commercial Suicide / Jester King Craft Brewery, Austin, TX
Previously from this brewery: More Commercial Suicide, Le Petite Prince (plus Revenge of the Nerds!) and more Le Petite Prince (sans Revenge of the Nerds)
Happy Sunday, my friends! Big day today; spent an early morning getting my new iPod set up. I may have mentioned earlier that after eight good years, the iPod died a quiet, peaceful death. Music is important to me, and despite the fact there are no less than four other devices in the house that can access the cloud and play music, a new iPod is necessary. Particularly so I can have music in my car and provide music to the masses at our legendary tailgates. Thankfully I'm back in business, and happy as a result.
Beyond getting back into a groove, Sunday was good in other ways. Spent time doing some important work, ran some errands, and now I'm watching basketball and enjoying a beer. Could be better, I suppose, but I'll take it with a smile.
While I'm relaxing, I'll give you my review of today's beer, a bottle of Commercial Suicide from Jester King. While pouring this one, it reminded me of pouring a cola; same color, plenty of carbonation, and a wispy bit of off-white head. There is an aroma of oak and malt, and when you take a sip it's almost creamy, with barely toasted malt, vanilla, toffee and a earthy, nutty flavor. There are very little hops and a clean finish. This one was labeled as a oaked farmhouse mild, but comes across more as an English bitter that spent some time in a wine barrel (that makes sense; it did). Incredibly interesting mix of flavors, particularly for such a low ABV (3.5%) beer.
Such creepy labels. Soooo creepy.
Now that I've piqued your interest in this beer, I need to inform you that you're not likely to find too many more bottles of this, as it has been retired by the brewery and no longer produced. Sorry, Charlie.
Thing to Think About Today:
As many of you know, and some of you have experienced, I like to create a new playlist for every tailgate I attend/host. It can be a pain to try and mix things up every week, particularly considering some tailgates might be over ten hours long. However, it's a labor of love, and in the spirit of love, I give you a tailgate song I love to add in to keep the party going. What, you were expecting something other than I Think We're Alone Now by Tiffany?
In one of the worst examples of trip planning, I traveled all the way to Austin to explore the craft beer scene and managed to be there every day except those when Jester King Craft Brewerywas open. Lesson learned. Know the beer laws. Use the Internet. Won't make that mistake twice.
Today's beer is Jester King's Commercial Suicide--an oaked farmhouse mild. The label tells me that it's suitable for vegetarians and vegans...one of the odder things I've read on a beer label.
It poured a bright chocolate brown around the edges with medium tan head. The scent was roast coffee and chocolate with a hint of anise. After taking a good sip, I said, "That does a lot of stuff in your mouth." After Mr. Blog Named Brew picked himself up off the floor after nearly dying from a fit of laughter, he said, "Wow. That's unusual." The flavor is smoked. It has a surprisingly thin mouthfeel. Very low level of hop bite but it's in there. It reminded me of those days long ago when putting a torn off piece of loose-leaf paper on your tongue seemed like a good idea...if that piece of paper also spent some time around a fireplace. That is praise, surprisingly enough, when one enjoys a good rauchbier. While not billed at all as a rauchbier, this one was a winner in my book.
Beer stats
Style: English dark mild ale
ABV: 3.5%
IBUs: Unknown
Rating: Great
Previously reviewed from Jester King His and hers reviews of Petite Prince
Day #429 Independence Pale Ale / Independence Brewing Company, Austin, TX
Previously from this brewery: My thoughts on their Stash IPA
My goal for the evening: at least eight hours of sleep. I spent the weekend dog-sitting for a friend; a task I love doing, but adding in a new dog disrupts the schedule our hounds like to keep, which in turn means I get to be awake more often than not during the hours I'd otherwise be sleeping. Add in me staying up to watch the Grammys last night and a workout at the gym after work today.... and I'm thinking of creative ways to get that eight hours of sleep up to ten or so. I'll keep you posted, I'm sure you all can't wait to hear about me and my problems each day. I kid.
My thoughts on the Grammys in no particular order:
1. The whole "straight down bangs" trend on girls really needs to end. It's not a good look, and it's time to move on. Looking at you, Taylor Swift and everyone else who thought this was a good idea. Stop it and fix your bangs. Please, I implore you.
2. How do you have Prince show up and not play something? And how comfortable in his skin is Prince that he just strolls up to the mic and without saying anything, just announces the nominees.
3. Instead of using his time to thank anyone, Jay Z decided to make fun of the dude who showed up not in a tux, but rather in a track suit with a bandana. Classy, Jay Z. Classy.
4. Best two performances were the Black Keys with Dr. John and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Jack White with whoever he was playing with. Even though I'm not sure Dr. John was actually playing anything, although it was hard to tell with his.... um, pelt?
5. I would kill someone for that pelt, or headdress, or whatever you want to call it. I'd wear that to work, and dare someone to tell me it wasn't "business appropriate".
6. I haven't figured out Frank Ocean yet. I guess that might be normal for someone of my advanced age, but I'll see what I can do to fix that. Anyone who is willing to get in a fight with a piece of shit like Chris Brown over a parking spot is good in my book.
7. My goodness, Katy Perry. Ahem.... call me?
Ellen DeGeneres is just doing what we all did,
although she was MUCH closer when she did it. Lucky!
Enough ramblings. Tonight's beer is one from a recent trip to Texas, the Independence Pale Ale from Indepenence Brewing Company. This one came in the bottle, so I have no idea what it looked or smelled like, really. Side note: if you're in Austin, stay at the Kimber Modern. Why? Free beer in the kitchen/living room area. That's why. When I drank this free beer, I found an earthy and dry taste, with ample lemon and pine. Not too bitter courtesy of the caramel malt, and definitely worth a sample if you're ever in Austin.
VIVA LA REVOLUCION!
I guess technically the beer wasn't free, as I did pay for the hotel room. But I didn't hand a bartender any money, so I still count it as free. It works for me.
Thing to Think About Today:
Dear CBS,
Thanks for putting your content on Youtube so that people can re-watch Grammy performances from last night. Oh... wait. You didn't do that because your company sucks out loud. Instead, readers of this blog can enjoy the copy some random dude pulled from his television. Where the quality and sound suck. Again, thanks, CBS. Lonely Boy from the Black Keys, in all their Zapruder film glory, coming right up:
Day #417 Fireman's #4 / Real Ale Brewing Company, Blanco, TX
Previously from this brewery: Marci's take on Real Ale
You ever been to Blanco, Texas? No, well I have. As part of our beer blogger ninja mission to Texas, we drove down to San Antonio, and on the way back to Austin drove out through central Texas Hill Country. Do you like ranches, wide open spaces, and.... hills? Do you not like seeing a ton of people? Soft spot in your heart for Friday Night Lights? Then you might like Texas Hill Country, home of Real Ale Brewing Company.
Before we get to Real Ale, let's pause for a moment and discuss brewery tours. In the spirit of full disclosure, I don't usually seek out brewery tours. I mean, you see one tour, you've seen them all - grain and water get heated up, sugars are released, the sugars ferment, you sit around for a while, and SHAZAM you have beer. Lather, rinse, repeat. How many times can you sit through that presentation? However, I do have a bit of a soft spot for tours, as they do let you meet some of the brewery employees, see what they consider to be the unique features they bring to their beer, see what makes them tick. I've taken three really different, yet really fun tours in my day. One, I'll talk about in another post. Another was a work trip to visit a client (admittedly, they're as macro as macro beer gets), where I got the exclusive, behind the scenes VIP tour, and got to see virtually every square inch of the plant, from the train cars that bring the grain in to the area where they recycle glass, and everything in between. I got to drink beer from an executive lounge, and I got to pet the Clydesdales (yeah, that macro brewer). It was crazy access to a world that tourists never get to see, even though the tour was incredibly safe and sterile. We wore eye protection and ear protection, closed toed shoes, and had to stay within the yellow lines or risk dying. No joke: when you first walk onto the brewery floor, you see a banner that reminds people to look around, otherwise you might die like an employee who died a few years back. Yikes! Informative, interesting, awesome, safe, and without a doubt one of the coolest days I've had at work.
And then there's the Real Ale tour. Considering how far out into the middle of nowhere Blanco is, there was a downright huge group queued up for the Friday afternoon tour. Armed with some free samples, we headed into the brewery, where we received no safety briefing, other than to not touch anything. That was really more of a warning than a safety tip, now that I think about it. We were crammed in among the tanks, and moved through the facility by stepping over hoses, ducking under pipes, dodging steam vents and skirting around puddles. Heavy metal music from Ronnie James Dio was blaring over speakers somewhere further back in the plant. I'm pretty sure the tour leader was making some of it up as he went along. Despite the random nature of the tour, I learned about what Real Ale feels is important to their beer, saw equipment waiting to be put together for their new bottling machine, saw a basketball hoop in a corner of a warehouse (no one would challenge me to a game, sadly), and saw the new warehouse where they are now barrel aging beers, which is always good news. In other words, it was glorious. I'm not sure if you'll ever be in Blanco, Texas, but if you do, you MUST stop by for a tour. You won't regret it.
My official beer review is for the Fireman's #4, a blonde ale that appears to be the most popular beer Real Ale puts out, at least from my unofficial survey of bars in Texas. It pours a hazy gold color with a fluffy white head. The aroma is light, with plenty of grain, and the taste is clean, with grass, grain, biscuit, and a good dose of hops, although without much bitterness. A nice beer, easily enjoyed at a mellow 5.1% ABV. Texas forever, friends. Texas forever.
Another beer drank at Hopdoddy?
Another beer drank at Hopdoddy.
Breweries in Texas can't sell direct to the consumer, so most have tasting rooms where they give away free samples. I had the Fireman's #4 in a bar in Austin, but did sample the Rio Blanco pale ale and a barleywine, both of which were quite nice. I bought a pint glass, because I wanted a pint glass.
Thing to Think About Today:
The Real Ale brewery is 533 miles away from El Paso, Texas. Why is this important? Because tonight's thing to think about is the old Marty Robbins Grammy Award winning 1959 classic, El Paso. Why is this important? I'm not sure if I'll ever set foot in El Paso in my life, and no one has written any cool songs about Blanco. So.... there you go.
I think my parents had this record when I was kid, because I remember listening to it as a kid, and it has stuck with me ever since. Why is this song awesome? Well, it's about a guy who goes to a bar, falls in love, realizes his crush has a boyfriend, shoots the boyfriend (I repeat: he shoots the boyfriend!), rides away on a stolen horse, realizes he can't live without his new lady friend (who he just saw in a bar, it's not like they were living together), rides back into town to find her, gets shot by the posse looking for him, and (SPOILER ALERT) dies in the arms of his lady. That's badass!!! Give it a listen, and have a good night. And avoid gun battles in bars in Texas, because I don't think they end well for anyone.
Day #413 Four / Freetail Brewing Company, San Antonio, TX
Previously from this brewery: my review of Woodicus, and Marci's review of Ananke
Another Saturday has arrived at Blog Named Brew Manor, and I feel very comfortable in my own skin so I feel no shame in telling you that I spent a fair part of my morning catching up on missed episodes of Gossip Girl. Sure, other grownups might be doing home improvement projects today, or whatever normal grownups do, but I prefer to spend my day off binge watching a show aimed at tweens. What can I say, I like what I like.
Have no fear, I also like beer, so today's review is a look back to Texas, with a review of Four, a brown ale from Freetail Brewing. This beer sports a mahogany hue with ruby hints and virtually no head. Your nose finds aromas of cocoa and malt, an the taste gives you notes of dark chocolate, spice, and caramel malt sweetness, with some hops balance to keep things honest. Like caramel? Like chocolate? Like beer? Do you find yourself in or near San Antonio (because the distribution network for breweries in Texas is fairly awful)? Then please order this beer, and you can thank me later.
Glamour shot
This beer is named in honor of Freetail's fourth anniversary. No idea if they intend to name a beer after every anniversary going forward, but then again I never really asked.
Thing to Think About Today:
Okay, so why do I watch a show aimed at the demographic a solid generation younger than I am? Two reasons: Chuck Bass and Chuck Bass (okay, fine, Chuck Bass and the lovely Leighton Meester, who plays Blair, Chuck's love interest). Bass, played splendidly by Ed Westwick, is the dapper, debonair, confident, Scotch drinking, risk taking, scheming, ignored son of a billionaire, who manages to run a business empire and be the biggest playboy in town, all before his 21st birthday. In other words, he's just like me!!!
The highlight of any episode? Chuck uttering his catch phrase, "I'm Chuck Bass....", which at various times serves as a means of introduction, a command, a threat, and the most succinct version of, "Do you know who the fuck I am?" I've ever heard. His highlight reel, for those unfamiliar, is how we're closing out today.
The final installment of Texas Beer Week takes us to Real Ale Brewing in Blanco, Texas. I went to Texas Hill Country! It is an amazing thing to see so much open space--it looks like it just goes on forever. There were cowboys. Unironic boot wearing, hat wearing cowboys. I even saw a car with cattle horns on the front end! Amazing. We hit the road from Austin and headed west to Blanco to experience Real Ale Brewing for ourselves. Normally I'm the person who says if you've seen one brewery, you don't need to see them all. Boy was I mistaken. The tour at Real Ale was awesome. It was not one of those OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) approved tours. It was a true behind-scenes, stand in puddles, don't poke your eye out on that nozzle, avoid getting a concussion tour. I'm pretty sure that if I lingered too long, someone would have given me a keg to fill or hops to haul around. The guys at Real Ale are cranking out some great beer. I noticed their Firemans 4 blonde ale all over Austin. Thanks to some bizarre Texas laws, breweries cannot sell directly to consumers. Instead some give away samples. There was a point during our visit to Real Ale when I wondered how long we could hang out before we got cut off. What did I sample? Two beers. Repeatedly. The first was a Belgian-style tripel, Devil's Backbone. It was a nice golden color with great flavor. Good candy sugar, a little hoppy. Very interesting. The booze was apparent but surprisingly easy to drink. My other taste went to the barleywine. Another bruiser of a beer (11% ABV) but so tasty and warming. Lots of toffee and malt with enough hop to keep it from being too rich. Beer stats Style: Barleywine ABV: 11% IBUs: 77 Rating: Good Style: Tripel ABV: 8.1% IBUs: 36 Rating: Good Previously reviewed from Real Ale Brewing First review!
Unfortunately I didn't take any photos of my beer. Instead here are some shots from the tour...
Yes, Real Ale is doing barrel aging!
And like I said when I started Texas Beer Week...Texas forever, y'all.
Texas Beer Week hits its second to last installment with a review of NXNW. It was the first Texas beer that I found upon our arrival and I maximized my time there with the sampler.
The Northern Light is a great session beer. It pours a bright golden color with barely any head. It's a little bready with a hint of hops.
The Bavarian hefeweizen is a traditional German wheat beer. It pours an opaque lemonade color. No strong aroma, but has great banana and clove flavors. Excellent.
Then there was the Duckabish amber. It poured a clear amber color. It was very malty and creamy.
I also tasted the Jingo pale ale, Okanogan black ale and something aged in Jack Daniels' barrels. I didn't write any notes on those samples.
Perhaps I need to work on my writing dedication when I'm sampling the sampler. I tend to fall apart when I have more than a few beers to review. In lieu of good beer reviews, I share my photos of UT's campus and a great chicken trailer we found on South Congress Avenue.
Ms. P's Electric Cock. I kid you not. We should have bought the t-shirts.
UT's campus. Two balls. Seriously?
And the had the nerve (balls?) to tell me not to photograph the balls.
Me and a wishing well. What did I wish for? More beer.
I'm throwing my year 2 format out the window because this is one of my more disjointed posts in awhile. If Mr. Blog Named Brew finds his notes, then perhaps we'll formalize this mess.
Today's installment of Texas Beer Week features Circle Brewing Company's Blur. It's billed as a Texas hefeweizen, but I'm not sure what makes it so. A little research...
From Circle Brewing's website: Blur is a unique blend of traditional old-world styling with a little Texan ingenuity. This Texas twist on the German wheat beer brings with it a hint of caramel to a crisp and refreshing style. The citrus aroma plays off the light and creamy body to create a beer that has no rival whether you enjoy it in the sun or in the shade.
I guess it's the caramel in a hefeweizen that makes it so.
The Blur is a beautiful beer. I had it served in a GIANT chalice at Hopdoddy's in Austin. What do you know about Hopdoddy's? Go there and get any of the burgers. So good. I could kill for one right now.
Anyway the Blur poured a deep hazy shade of orange with a thick white head. There was lots of orange and wheat in the nose. The flavor is strong orange with hints of banana creaminess. There was a nice breadiness to it and some light hops. I could totally see drinking this on a hot Texas day.
Beer stats Style: Hefeweizen ABV: 4.6% IBUs:12 Rating: Good
Previously reviewed from Circle Brewing Gary's thoughts on Blur
Texas Beer Week continues with a revelation about my immaturity and the evil genius of Mr. Blog Named Brew. One of my favorite things to do to Gary while he's taking his beer photos is flipping the bird in the periphery of his shot. It makes him INSANE. And it makes me giggle delightedly. Well let's just say he got some payback when I was snapping my photo of today's beer.
Look closely. Mr. Blog Named Brew is lurking!
Live Oak Brewing Company's Big Bark amber lager pours a beautiful amber color with a very thick
ecru head. It smells strongly of nutty malts. The taste is very much malt with a rich mouthfeel. There is some hop bite buried in there, but generally very bready. It is very easy to drink and I think it would appeal to a mass audience. Too bad it's only available in the Austin area.
Beer #403 Blur / Circle Brewing Company, Austin, TX
Previously from this brewery: None, new brewery
Randomly busy night tonight, as I was tied up in a board meeting after work, then had to run an errand, and I'm just now getting to sit down an write. When will I find time to catch up on missed episodes of Gossip Girl tonight? Today was also a whirlwind day in the office - productive, but greatly tiring. I am hereby going on record that I think tomorrow will be a good day. You heard it here first!
Tonight's beer is Blur, a hefeweizen from Circle Brewing Company in Texas. This one was on draft at Hopdoddy in Austin, a great place for a burger and a beer (or two or three). While the burgers are fantastic, the ginormous goblet the beers come in is worth a visit alone. In said goblet, this beer has an apricot hue, and your nose finds a good aroma of banana. The taste is classic hefeweizen, with plenty of banana, clove, and yeast. Well done beer, definitely worth your effort. Particularly if you can get a goblet-sized portion.
Love this glass
This brewery adheres to the German Purity Laws of 1516, and started producing their beers in 2010. Now you know.
Thing to Think About Today:
In the spirit of Circle Brewing, we close tonight with Round Here from the Counting Crows. Ah, the 90's. Good times, good times. Enjoy your evenings, friends! See you tomorrow.
Beth: Well, you’re not just gonna DRIVE them around, are you? Don’t you think they’d at least need to be on ice or something?
Me: These still had skin on them. (barf) Wouldn't that smell?
Beth: We need more details, msn!
Sorry for the lip prints on the glass. Clearly I liked this one. It took me this much beer to remember to take a photograph!
And so it continues...where will the heads turn up next?
Now back to Texas Beer Week. Texas forever, y'all!
Today's installment features Austin Beerworks's Pearl Snap pilsner.
Sidebar: I've recently discovered a new joy in life. When visiting brewery websites, occasionally answer no to the "Are you 21?" question. Do it on Austin Beerwork's site. I dare you. You will be rewarded. Black Acre Brewingalso has a fun under 21 reward. What's going on, indeed!
Pearl Snap poured a golden color ale with a minimal white head. It had a pretty strong smell of hops for a pilsner or at least compared to the pilsners I remember drinking. It's very smooth with a slightly caramel hop profile. It finishes with a strong but not overwhelming bitterness.
Beer #401 Wild Hare Pale Ale / Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, TX
Previously from this brewery: reviews on Shiner Bock and Ruby Redbird
Back by popular demand, it's time to hand out an award from the 366 challenge! You can search all of the awards I've given out to day through the handy tag cloud to the right of this page. Or, just click this link if you're lazy.
During the 366 journey, I drank some amazing beers.... and some beers that weren't very good at all. I mean, not all of them could be award winners. I guess that's not technically true, as tonight I'm honoring the worst of the lot by presenting the Worst Beer of the Year. Am I being mean? Nope. I'd hate to have someone new to the world of craft beers stumble onto one of these, and decide that craft beer is disgusting. And now candidates, please prepare to be shamed:
And the winner (loser?) is.... Orange Blossom Cream Ale! When I describe a beer using the phrase "frozen generic brand popsicle" and "children's chewable aspirin," you know you're doing something wrong. I'm sure they're nice people and make other wonderful beers, but seriously.... this was bad.
On to the next one, so the beer for this evening is Wild Hare APA from Spoetzl Brewery. I had this one right from bottle, so no comments on appearance or aroma. However, I can say that when you take a sip, you get a very even balance of hops and malt. There are floral notes, with flavors of lemon and tea, and a touch of hop bitterness. All in all, this is a rather mild beer. Definitely something to keep in mind if you're looking for an easy drinking, light, less complex beer.
Shine bright like a diamond
Pro tip, if we're speaking of Texas: if you're in Austin, check out the Kimber Modern, a boutique hotel in the South Congress neighborhood. Very, very cool place to stay. Totally unlike most other hotels, and that's a good thing.
Thing to Think About Today:
If we're talking about BlogNamedBrew awards, then we might as well close things out tonight with some A Tribe Called Quest and their always funky Award Tour. Good night, good friends.
Texas Beer Week continues with a trip to San Antonio and Freetail Brewing Company. I'm not sure how Freetail landed on our radar when planning our trip to Austin, but I am certainly glad it did.
Freetail is named for the bats that seem to be all over the Austin, San Antonio area. Luckily for me, the several million bats who make their home under the South Congress Bridge in Austin were on their winter sabatical and nowhere to be found while I was visiting. While I value the role that bats play in the ecosystem, I have no desire to see them up close and en masse as I had to remind Mr. Blog Named Brew repeatedly on this trip.
Freetail opened up in 2009 with the goal of bringing better beer to the San Antonio area. I can assure you--based on my personal experience--they are more than meeting that goal. I started out with one of two sours they had on draft that day.
Ananke = Delicious
The Ananke is an American wild ale or a sour beer. It poured a dark straw color with a very small, almost nonexistent head. It smells of lemons and a bit of wood or resin. The flavor is extremely tart...lemon, resinous. There's lots of woody flavor to it that lends a very interesting element. This is a great example of a sour beer.
In case you were wondering who or what Ananke is, I've learned she is the Greek goddess of inevitability, compulsion and necessity. Together with Khronos, they are responsible for splitting the primal egg of solid matter into its constituent parts, earth, heaven and sea and so brought about the creation of the ordered universe. And that's your Greek mythology lesson for the day!
Beer
stats
Style: American wild ale
ABV: 5.8%
IBUs: 10
Rating: Excellent
Thanks to the encouragement of our waitress, who really knew her beer, I sampled four more offerings.
From left to right are: La Rubia blonde ale; Tadarida Oscura black IPA; Shoppe's smoked; and, La Muerta imperial stout. I didn't take any notes on these although I can recall that the Shoppe's smoked was quite unusual. Given its low ABV and IBUs, I thought it would be more of a table beer or perhaps a berlinerweisse. It's also worth noting that the beer board did not mention smoke at all in my defense. It actually tasted more like a rauchbier. Our waitress told me it was an acquired taste--evidently I acquired it pretty quickly because I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Previously
reviewed from Freetail Brewing
Gary's review of the other sour that was on during our visit to Freetail, theWoodicus
This five day work week is a bitch. I haven't worked one in more than a month and it is killing me. I feel like the Pig Pen character from Peanuts--only with paperclips, file folders, and pencils swirling off me instead of dirt and grime. There's also been a soundtrack of the implosion noise going off periodically as I realize how much work is on my to do list.
Note to self: Start playing Powerball and become independently wealthy.
In more upbeat, fun news, I'm kicking off Texas Beer Week on the blog--or at least my half of the blog.
Tan head washed out thanks to an overachieving flash on my Blackberry
I'm starting with 512 Brewing Companyand their Pecan Porter. 512 Brewing is based in Austin and is pretty much only available in Texas. I had the pleasure of trying the Pecan Porter at Hopdoddywhile vacationing in Austin last month.
Pro-tip: Go to Hopdoddy and have a burger and fries. They are life-changing.
The Pecan porter poured a dark, dark brown and the light danced around the edges in one of the prettiest shades of brown I've ever seen in a beer. It had a thick, deep tan head. The smell was good and roasted. The flavor is predominantly nutty and chocolate. Lots of rich malt with a nice hopped finish.
Beer stats
Style: Porter
ABV: 6.5%
IBUs: Unknown
Rating: Great (poor,
average, good, great, excellent)
Day #390 Naked Nun / Adelbert's Brewery, Austin, TX
Previously from this brewery: None, new brewery
It's been a few days since I handed out an award from the 366 challenge, so let's get back into the game and keep the awards show going. Previously, we handed out prizes for Biggest Miss of the Year, Best Brewery Visit, Best Label Art, and Worst Label Art. Today, I'm awarding a very coveted prize, the award for Brewery of the Year. This is a tough category to judge, because we obviously only drank one beer per brewery.... for the most part. With some breweries, I have prior experience drinking their products, or I put down a beer sampler instead of just the required one beer. Like it or not, that advantage helped these candidates float to the top of the list. However, the good news of my tasting more than one beer from these breweries is that I 100% assure you that you can pick up any beer they produce and feel completely confident you're going to be drinking a fantastic beer, regardless of style. And now... what's that now James Van Der Beek? Is it time?
James Van Der Beek says, "It's time."
Why yes, in fact, it is time to look at the nominees:
And the winner is..... Russian River Brewing Company!
What impressed me most is that Russian River has an ability to produce great beers across the entire spectrum, from bitter IPAs to tart sours and everything in between. Their barrel aged beers are some of the best I've ever had, and quite frankly any brewery that offers an 18 beer sampler deserves some sort of trophy (note: we don't give out trophies, but should). To celebrate, we dance!
Celebrate with James Van Der Beek!
To keep the wheels on this blog turning, tonight I'm reviewing Naked Nun from Adelbert's Brewery in Texas. This witbier has a pale straw color and a persistent white head. There's a slightly tart aroma, with some hints of clove. The flavor is very good, with light notes of spice, bread, banana, and orange, with a light dryness. Quite a nice beer, and at 5.8% ABV, this would be great to enjoy on a sunny spring day.
Great glassware, too.
The name Adelbert's is a tribute to the brewer's deceased brother, George Adelbert "Del" Hovey, and the brewery specializes in Belgian ales. Didn't get to visit them when we spun through Texas, but I did get to enjoy this beer, which certainly counts for something.
Thing to Think About Today:
The story behind Naked Nun includes a story about Del being robbed while hiking and saved by nuns. And for every time I type the words 'Naked Nun', I immediately think of the brilliant Naked Gun film series, which starred the hilarious deadpan comedy of Leslie Nielsen. Let's close out tonight's awards post with a laugh, shall we?
Day #385 Woodicus / Freetail Brewing Company, San Antonio, TX
Previously from this brewery: None / New brewery
Today is a hustle day, so I'm keeping this short. Well, I probably could spend a bit more time spinning colorful yarns, seeing how my flight is already 30 minutes delayed and I don't need to get on a plane for another five hours. Great, should be a fun day spent sitting in airports.
A quick swing through south Texas isn't complete without a visit to the Freetail Brewing Company in San Antonio. While there, my first beer up was a glass of Woodicus, a seasonal wild ale. In the glass, you see a hazy golden amber color with a wispy head. You find a tart, citrus aroma when you inhale, and when you take a sip you get a ton of tart and sour, with some funk that lingers. There's a good bit of citrus in here (lemon), along with some oak. Very well done beer, and I'm always glad to see more wild ales on draft, as they tend to be delicious.
Wood makes it good.
Pro tip: when you're there, try the brisket cheesesteak. As a resident of the Philadelphia area, I laugh and feel bad when restaurants across the country put a "Philly steak" on their menu. However, when you use brisket and queso, you get a free pass. Delicious.
Thing to Think About Today:
I'm going to spend my day stuck in airports, sitting around waiting to get home. As I sit and wait and wish, I'll let Jack Johnson wrap things up for today. Keep your fingers crossed, peoples.
Day #383 Stash IPA / Independence Brewing Company, Austin, TX
Previously from this brewery: None / New brewery
We're in the midst of a mini-vacation, so I'm keeping this oh so short and oh so sweet.
Today's beer is the Stash IPA from Independence Brewing Company in Austin. I'm drinking this directly out of the bottle, so no comments here on appearance or aroma. I can, however, comment on the taste, and let me say the taste is very dry, with a ton of hops. Plenty of pine and citrus (grapefruit, tangerine) on board, and it's bitter the whole way through. If you like IPAs and happen to find this one near by, it's definitely worth a shot.
Shout out to my people at the Kimber Modern Hotel
Independence has been brewing in South Austin since 2004. Allow me to share a bit of advice with them (and all breweries): Guys, open a tasting room on site. People will come visit you. Trust me on this, I'm a world renowned beer blogger. Thanks.
Thing to Think About Today:
In the spirit of the Stash IPA, I'm going to have us all think about one of the legendary mustaches of all time - the one found on Burt Reynolds' face. Yes, the beer name refers to weed, not facial hair, but this is a family blog here. Therefore, I'll now completely ignore that last sentence about family values, and share with you a great Burt Reynolds moment: the movie Boogie Nights. Star studded cast, with Mr. Reynolds playing the role of porn impresario Jack Horner. Enjoy your afternoon, friends. Enjoy.
Beer #265 Le Petite Prince / Jester King Craft Brewery, Austin, TX
Brief update, as it's one of my favorite days of the year - the night before the first home PSU game. Campus is alive again, the weather is stupendous, and the tailgate should be in full force. Let's do this, people!
Today's beer is Le Petite Prince, a farmhouse ale from Jester King Craft Brewery. This beer has a pale yellow color, and the aroma is light and funky. You get light flavors of lemon, with mild hops and some peppery spice. Easy drinking, and quite tasty.
Pay no attention to the man on the bottle
This is another example of a great tasting beer with a very reasonable ABV - a meager 2.8%. Much less than your typical macro lite beer, in fact. Is the artwork on the bottle a tad bit creepy? Sure, it's hugely creepy, but don't let that stop you from buying and drinking this beer. We're visiting Texas later this year, and we intend to stop by and pay this brewery a visit.
Thing to Think About Today:
So, we're down to the final two movies of "college week", and I've obviously saved the best for last. Today's movie is Revenge of the Nerds - a movie that made me very seriously consider the fact that I probably wanted to join a fraternity in college.
This classic movie is an "us vs. them" tale, as nerds get kicked out of their house when the jock fraternity house burns down after a party. The nerds realize that they won't be on a level playing field until they join a fraternity and get a seat on something called Greek Council. When no other fraternity will allow them to start a new chapter... well... because they're nerds, they look to bring a new organization to campus, Lambda Lambda Lambda. Once they move in, it's war between the jocks and the geeks, culminating in the Greek Carnival, where the Tri Lams eventually find themselves victorious courtesy of their superior intellect.
This movie boasts an incredibly star studded cast, a killer soundtrack highlighted by the Talking Heads, some gratuitous nudity, elaborate pranks, improbably awesome characters, and huge amount of quotable lines. It's an absolutely amazing movie, and stands the test of time - it's as funny today as it was back when you first watched this film. Get back into the spirit of college, and check this classic out again soon.
The human body was not designed to work in an office that is 76 degrees. That kind of heat melts contact lenses and deflates one's will to live. It is basically impossible to discuss budgets, math skills are negated and excessive giggling occurs. That is all.
Last night I discovered a new brewery -- Jester King Craft Brewery. It's located in Texas Hill Country and somehow managed to find its way to the suburbs of Philadelphia. Yea for me! The only other thing I know about Texas Hill Country is that it's the home of The Bloggess -- hands down one of the funniest writers I've found on the Internet. Irreverent doesn't begin to describe her humor. I love her.
But back to the beer. The label for Le Petit Prince may take the prize for creepiest label ever (followed closely by this one) but don't let that deter you. This is quite the tasty beer.
It first caught my eye at TJ's Everyday because of its listed ABV...a whopping 2.9%! It is an organic farmhouse table beer and table beers seem to be one of my favorite beers lately.
It poured a hazy straw color with a fluffy white head. It left lots of lacing as I drank it. The smell was very light - just a bit of farmhouse ale spiciness. The taste had the expected pepper and an unexpected salinity...very light but definitely provided a uniqueness to the beer. Le Petit Prince is light and refreshing and very, very easy to drink. Cheers!
Confession. I am in a piss poor mood. I currently hate the world and I'm pretty sure the world has it in for me. I just want to scream bugger off and go hide under my blanket.
My beer is not as cold as it should be. I managed not to orchestrate its migration from basement beer shelf to the fridge. I've been thinking about this beer since about 4:30 p.m. when the third half of my day began. (You know it's a long day when it has three halves.) So that is disappointing in an exponential way.
Into my pint glass went the Shiner Ruby Redbird. It poured a light shade of amber with a very fizzy head that bubbled and fizzled away pretty quickly.
The scent is straight up ginger...pickled ginger. I love ginger, but I'd guess this may not be a beer for everyone. The flavor was very light and at 4% ABV, I could make this a summertime go to beer...if only I could find more than a stray bottle now and then. (Damn you, Pennsylvania and your stupid laws.)
The flavor is grapefruit, ginger and what I believe to be citra hops. It's fruity but quite tart. I really like it!
