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 #703 Odin's Tipple / HaandBryggeriet, Drammen, Norway
Previously from this brewery:
The surprisingly cold weather today made me reflect upon the fact that I have very few talents. However, one on the incredibly short list is my ability to make chili. Honestly, it's fantastic. With the winter apparently now upon us, chili may be upon us soon.
Isn't that the truth?
With winter upon us, I reach into my bag of tricks and give you an old pour, a bottle of Odin's Tipple from HaandBryggereit in Norway. This was a birthday gift, and allow me to remind you that beer makes the perfect gift. In the the glass, this beer has a dark brown hue, and when you inhale you find coffee. Uh oh...
Upon taking a sip, you find burnt, toasted, and roasted. Um, not words I'm usually looking for in my beer. There's malt and chocolate in there somewhere, if I think about it hard enough, but probably not enough. This one probably belongs in a coffee mug, or at least drank in the middle of a massive snow storm. Brace yourself... they're coming.
Hammer of the Gods
Hops don't really grow in Norway, but they do use many local ingredients in their brews. The brewery opened in 2005, and Norway seems like an awesome place to go visit. Add it to the list...
Thing to Think About Today:
Tempted to put some The Jayhawks in here, as I've been listening to a lot of their music lately (and I do love some alt-country), tempted to put some some New Pornographers in here and play some Hey Snow White, due to me talking about snow. However, I'll keep my alt-country and hipster motif in motion while combining an element of the brewery name and present you with Wilco and Handshake Drugs. Off to eat. Night all.
Beer #697 Head Hunter IPA / Fat Head's Brewery, North Olmstead, OH
Previously from this brewery: Bumble Berry, Head Hunter
Today's beer was a gift from a fellow beer geek and co-worker; a bottle of Head Hunter from Fat Head's Brewery in Ohio. This beer shows off a deep gold color and a persistent white head. There's an aroma of resinous pine and grapefruit, and when you take a sip, you get a big dose of hop bitterness, with ample pine, lemon, and grapefruit and a dry finish. Perfect beer for the hop lovers out there in the world. Should you find yourself in Ohio (and let's face it; I hope you don't have to go to Ohio any time soon), you should definitely track this beer down. And then leave Ohio.
Fat.
Thing to Think About Today:
With Fat Head in mind, that means you get one of my all time favorite bands,Talking Heads! I love this group due to their funky, intelligent, artistic songs, which always sound better when played at loud volumes, preferably on a warm summer day with the windows rolled down. We'll close things out tonight with a live rendition of Girlfriend Is Better. In the words of David Byrne himself, "Nothing is better than that." Good night, all.....
Day #686 Bohemia / Companhia Brasileira De Bebidas, Sao Paolo, Brazil
Previously from this brewery: this beer is the first out the limo
Been working since 8am, so I'm getting right down to business. Okay, so "work" means volunteering, but I was still up and out of bed early, so it was like work. Today's beer is a gift from a friend who ventured to Brazil for spring break this year. Let's just say that I went NOWHERE near as interesting as Brazil when I was in college, and I'm more than jealous of the guys who managed to pull off this trip.
Anyway, the beer is a bottle of Bohemia, a lager that pours a clear straw color with a wispy white head. It has aromas of grain and grass, flavors of the same, and is an easy drinking lighter beer. I wrote "El Bud Light", but then I realized the language of Brazil is Portuguese, not Spanish, so I guess that makes it "A Leve Bud." Or not, I really don't speak Portugese and have no clue if that's right. I've had this one in the fridge since the spring, but only recently found it hiding in there.
Brazilian
This beer traces it's roots back to 1853, and is now owned by beer colossus InBev. So, there's that.
Thing to Think About Today:
I've been on a Queen kick lately, so Bohemian Rhapsody would be a good fit here. However, I'm not a huge fan of the song - the movie Wayne's World ruined it a small bit for me. Instead, on a fall Saturday better suited to a fall festival or Halloween party than reading about beer, I give you the Dandy Warhols and Bohemian Like You. Good luck today, friends!
Beer #677 Shiva / Ashville Brewing Company, Asheville, NC
Previously from this brewery: N/A, this beer is the first out the limo
Hustle day today, so I'm getting down to business with a can of Shiva, an IPA from Ashville Brewing, a newcomer to the blog. This one came courtesy of a friend who lives in South Carolina, but made his way up to watch the PSU-Michigan game last weekend (Thanks, Jeff!). Beer always makes a great gift.
This beer shows off a dark gold hue, with a fluff white head. There's a big grapefruit aroma, and when you take a sip you initially get more orange and grapefruit citrus flavor than pine, but the earthy pine and some good quality bitterness make their way on the finish. Some malt in there to balance things out and round everything into shape. Really solid choice, and always fun to try a beer from a new (to me) brewery.
Shiva, The Destroyer
This brewery also appears to be a restaurant, thereby combining two of my favorite items: beer and food.
Thing to Think About Today:
When I saw this beer name, I immediately thought of Shiva, a recurring character on the absolutely funniest (see also: only) show about fantasy football on television, The League. A show about friends who delight in tormenting each other over the the highs and lows of their fantasy football league. One of my favorite shows out there due to the completely absurd comedy, useful insults, and catch phrases. I also like it because I met the cast in the Nashville Airport once, but that's another story for another day. Check out some of the best of Rodney Ruxin in this clip below, then go start catching up on Netflix. You won't regret it.
Day #587 / Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa, CA
Previously from this brewery: All sorts of Russian River goodness from my favorite brewery on earth
Can you believe Friday is here already? I am seriously glad that I have a Saturday and Sunday in front of me to relax, unwind, and get back to a normal groove. I'm jumping right into a beer review, because seriously: it's a Friday, and you're too busy having fun to read this. Not too much fun, though. There's a whole weekend ahead of you!
Tonight is a bottle of Damnation from Russian River, another bottle that was in a birthday gift from a friend. This golden ale pours with a clear, bright gold and thin head. There are tons of bready aromas of yeast, with an almost nutty quality as well. The taste has more of a biscuit quality, with fruity notes of apple and some faint banana in there as well. There's an earthy vibe, too. This beer is fantastic - definitely not their best work ever, but considering that their best work is absolutely the best beers in the world, even their more "average" work is still pretty damn good.
Damn, yo.
Thing to Think About Today:
Damnation sounds a bit more depressing than I care to think about (even if I don't believe in the afterlife versions of heaven and hell that everyone seems to cling to), but I can appreciate the word 'damn.' Who doesn't love a well placed yet mild curse word? Let's go back to 1992 and let Sophie B. Hawkins close things out with her always awesome and sex mix-ready Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover. Enjoy your night, friends....
Beer #581 Consecration / Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa, CA
Previously from this brewery: Look at a sampler, another sampler (and a reminder, this is THE greatest sampler of all time), some ultra-white whale & Top 25 Pliny the Younger, a Pliny the Elder, and a vertical tasting of Supplication
Today's review is a bottle of Consecration from Russian River, which came as part of a birthday gift from a friend a few months back. This sour ale has a reddish mahogany color, and your nose quickly finds a tart aroma of stone fruit and vinegar. You pick up flavors of barely there hints of leather, cherries, and grapes, with an oak dryness on the finish. But mostly you notice the lovely sour quality from the yeasts. At 10% ABV, this is one of the strongest beers Russian River produces, but you barely notice the alcohol. Just delicious, this beer would pair well with cheese. Although, most everything pairs well with cheese, really.
Don't let the knife scare you.
A friendly reminder that Russian River won my Brewery of the Year Award during the initial year of this blog. High praise, indeed, as I'm kind of a big deal.
Thing to Think About Today:
If the supreme song of the summer is Blurred Lines, then this is the song that you'll hear 1,000 times and eventually wonder why it was popular to begin with. But you WILL hear it at least 1,000 more times this summer. So therefore I give you Icona Pop and their one-hit wonder, I Love It. Please note: crashing your car into a bridge is NOT a good idea, regardless of how much fun this song makes it sound.
It's another early morning post, because there's no better way to start your day than by thinking about beer. Well, I guess I can think of other ways, but beer is definitely a good way. So, we kick off a (hopefully) relaxing Sunday with a review of Boardwalk Black Rye IPA from Karl Strauss. This bottle was a gift from a friend who made a road trip out to San Diego, and when you pour it in the glass you see a dark black color with an off white head. Your nose is greeted by aromas of malt, rye, and spice, and when you drink it down you find a malt heavy beer, with a fair bit of toasting. There's bitterness throughout, with good amounts of pine and lemon, and prominent rye spiciness. I can sometimes not be a fan of the black IPA trend, as some breweries tend to overdo the toasting/roasting, but Karl Strauss definitely gets this one right.
Sunshine and beer
Karl Strauss has a brewpub outpost in La Jolla, CA that is across the street from a Brooks Brothers store. That's pretty much my dream neighborhood right there. Sunshine + brewery + Brooks Brothers = AWESOME
Thing to Think About Today:
Curious... yesterday we were thinking about the beach, and now today's beer gets us thinking about the boardwalk. The obvious thing to close out this post with is Under the Boardwalk by The Drifters. I'm sure that was a romantic place in the 1950s, although now I'm fairly certain if you went under the boardwalk, you'd find actual drifters (not the band) or people selling meth. I'd actually really avoid going there, if I were you.... be safe people. Enjoy your Sunday!
Today's beer is thanks to a fellow beer geek who very kindly shipped it along with a few other favorites to me from Portland, Oregon. (Note to self: Organize another cross-country beer trade.)
This one is the Fort George Quick Wit--a Belgianesque ale. It looks like an Arnold Palmer...the beloved blend of lemonade and iced tea. It didn't have much of a head. But what's hanging around the edge of the glass is nice and white.
It smells sweet and lemony. Those notes carry over gracefully into the flavor, which also has a good amount of wheat. Go figure. It is a wheat ale. This particular beer is brewed with lemongrass and that gives it a really nice lemon/green pepper flavor. Interestingly it is also brewed with elderflower, which is believed to have supernatural powers to ward off evil. So I have that going for me. And clearly from the photograph, my supernatural powers are working.
Lately I've been very wishy, washy about wheat beers. I swear I'm off of them and then I find a winner like Fort George. I guess it shall be an on-again, off-again relationship.
Interesting note about Fort George Brewing. It's located in Astoria, Oregon, which is where Goonies was shot. The house is still there and there seem to be lots of Goonies-related events every year around the release date of the film (June 7)!
Beer stats
Style: Witbier
ABV: 5.2%
IBUs: Unknown
Rating: Great
Previously reviewed from Fort George
Quick Wit is first out the limo!
Day #533 LowRYEder IPA / SweetWater Brewing Company, Atlanta, GA
Previously from this brewery: I sampled the Festive Aleand made Sweetchuck references
Happy Sunday and middle day of the three day holiday weekend to you all! Went out and got some exercise in, now spending this glorious, sunny afternoon inside staring at the screen of my laptop. Curiously, no one has invited me to a Memorial Day cookout yet. Is that because no one is having a cookout this weekend, because my friends all suck, or because.... I didn't get invited to a cookout this weekend? Has to be one of the first two, right? Couldn't be the third, not that I'd want to even go to your stupid BBQ anyway. Jerks.
Well, I'll have my own party, and start it off with a LowRYEder IPA from SweetWater Brewing in Atlanta. SweetWater hasn't managed to make it's way to Pennsylvania yet, but I have a friend with family down south who shared a bottle as a gift. When you pour this one, you see a light copper color and a barely there head. There are aromas of orange and pine, and when you take a sip you find notes of earthy pine, citrus, and a very prominent rye spiciness and warmth. Some good bitterness on the finish, and at 6.25% ABV this is eminently drinkable. You know, like maybe at a cookout at your house this weekend, or something.
All... my... friends, drink the LowRYEder
This brewery just hit their 16th anniversary. Let me go ahead and take a moment to wish a very happy anniversary!!
Thing to Think About Today:
Sometimes the jokes write themselves. I mean, there's no way I can use anything but this song here, right?
Day #495 Big Barrel Double IPA / Karl Strauss Brewing Company, San Diego, CA
Previously from this brewery: Marci's zany look at their sampler, and my un-zany take on their sampler
Today marked my last day at work before a three day weekend, where I'll be heading to State College to watch Penn State's spring football game. Perhaps, even have a beer in the parking lot. Maybe.
Tonight was a basketball night (we won!) and it's getting late, but duty calls, so here's your beer review for the evening. I'm drinking another gift from a friend who thought of us during a visit to the west coast, a bottle of the Big Barrel Double IPA from Karl Strauss. This beer has an amber orange hue with a thin, lingering white head. There's a rather big grapefruit aroma, with noticeable pine scents as well. When you take a sip, you find even more citrus fruit; grapefruit and lemon, and it's dry from start to finish. There's a hint of some sweetness in there, but be advised this is only for the hop heads out there. Sadly, they don't distribute to the East Coast, so unless you're heading west, good luck finding any.
Big!
Karl Strauss has a number of brewpub locations; I've been to the one in La Jolla (right across the street from Brooks Brothers. Score!), but thankfully before the odor of bird poop took over the otherwise ritzy town.
Thing to Think About Today:
If I'm thinking about San Diego, I'm thinking about one of the greatest movies of ALL TIME. Based on Cameron Crowe's experiences while in a San Diego high school, Fast Times at Ridgemont High is a hilarious look at high school in the 80s. Starring a young Sean Penn as Jeff Spicoli, stoner philosopher extraordinaire, this film had huge star power: Forrest Whitaker, Nicholas Cage, Phoebe Cates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Anthony Edwards, and Eric Stoltz, to name a few. While the comedy was outrageous, there were serious themes as well, most notably teenage pregnancy.
The dialogue spawned great quotes that I like to drop into conversation to this day, and I'm pretty sure the fantasy scene with Cates climbing out of the pool kick started puberty into gear for me (and most other red blooded Americans of a certain age). If you've never seen this film or if you haven't watched in ages, it's a classic that should be watched immediately.
Day #477 Le Freak / Green Flash Brewing Company, San Diego, CA
Previously from this brewery: Top 25 selection Rayon Vert, Palate Wrecker, Imperial IPA, Marci's sampler, and my sampler + a shoutout the greatest burger I've ever had.
Happy Easter to all my peoples! For those not familiar, today is the day Jesus invented a bunny who goes around and hides eggs, and we all eat chocolate to celebrate. Or.... something like that, I don't quite recall. All kidding and super subtle jabs at religion aside, I do hope you get to spend the day with your loved ones, and I do hope you have some awesome candy working for you. I currently wish I had jelly beans; preferably green and yellow ones. Who wants to come and bring me an Easter basket? Not everyone at once, please.
The beer for today is a bottle of Le Freak from one of my all time favorite breweries, Green Flash. This beer is crafted by merging two styles together, a Belgian Tripel and an Imperial IPA, to combine the best of Belgian yeast and American hops. In the glass, this beer is a cloudy dark gold hue, with a thin edge of head. Your nose finds the aroma of citrus (orange, mostly) and yeast, and the taste balances a malt sweetness with a nice hop bite. There are notes of lemon, yeast, grass, and some faint banana. Really a fantastic beer, and one very well worth your time. If you see this on the shelf, buy it immediately.
Nice, crooked picture. Typical.
And best of all? This beer was a gift from a friend who brought home some big bottles from her recent trip to San Diego. More on her contributions to come soon enough, but for now walk away with this important lesson: beer makes an awesome gift!!
Thing to Think About Today:
I do sincerely hope you got something sweet in your Easter baskets. And if not, that's just fine because I'm sharing something sweet with you right here. Matthew Sweet, and his early 90s hit I've Been Waiting. Sweet!
Day #457 Session Lager / Full Sail Brewery, Hood River, OR
Previously from this brewery: First out the limo!
I'm getting right down to business. I'm a businessman. Tonight's beer is a bottle of Session Lager from Full Sail in Oregon. This beer is among the greatest beers ever. Why? Because it was a gift from a friend. Give your friends beer, and they'll love you forever. Poured out of a stubby 11oz bottle, this beer is a clear, bright gold color with virtually no head. You get an slight aroma of sweet malt and grain, and when you take a sip you find a flavorful, yet easy drinking beer that has notes of malt and hops, grains, and something close to popcorn. As the name suggests, this is a sessionbeer and has a low ABV (5.1%), good flavor, and isn't overly complex, which means you can drink a number of these in the course of a day. This beer will definitely make a tailgate appearance this summer.
This picture was taken outside. SPRING TIME, YO!
During my trip to Oregon last summer, I made it up to Cascade Locks, which is only about 20 miles away from this brewery. Should have taken a longer road trip, but even without visiting Hood River, I can assure you this part of the country is as beautiful as anything you'll find in America. Stop by if you're ever near Portland.
Thing to Think About Today:
Somebody follow me: Full Sail makes me think of boats. Boats makes me think of the boat life. The boat life makes me think of yacht rock. Yacht rock! I'll pause here: for those of you who don't have a yacht, yacht rock can be categorized as the easy listening music popular from the late 70's to mid 80's. You know, that smooth, chill vibe you'd expect to want to listen to while cruising the bay on your yacht. If you close your eyes and picture the 80's, I'm pretty sure you see yacht rock videos in your head.
Well, it just so happens my neighbors were in the mood for some yacht rock this weekend, as evidenced by their blaring of Yah Mo BThere by James Ingram and the yacht rock God, Michael McDonald. Now, I get that it was a bright, sunny spring Sunday. I'm just not sure what was happening in their yard/house/driveway that made them want to fire up this song. However, it brought a smile to my face, so I guess I'm not really complaining. If anyone has a yacht and wants me to bring the Session Lager.... call me. I'll "mo b there."
Beer #395 Black Bear Porter / Timber Creek Tab and Table, Meadville, PA
Previously from this brewery: Marci's review of Black Bear Porter
It's been a long day, and I am finally just getting to sit down in front of a computer and type. I'll keep this brief, as I need to get caught up on some old episodes of Gossip Girl. Don't hate; it's a sensational show. The Chuck Bass character is an all-time great, and Leighton Meester goes in my Top 5 list without a doubt.
Up tonight is a glass of Black Bear Porter from Timber Creek Tap and Table. Before I even sample this one, I can assure you this beer will be delicious. Why the certainty, you ask? Easy - this beer was given to me as a Christmas gift by a dear friend. Beer makes a wonderful gift, people!!! This beer is black, with fluffy tan head that settles down in time. There's an aroma of lightly toasted malt, an the taste gives you notes of oatmeal, toasted malt, some mild bitterness, and a clean finish. My kind of porter!
The Park's closed.
The bear out front should have told you.
Timber Creek has been open for less than a year, and already cranking out some great beers. Next time I'm in Meadville (whenever that might be), I'd love to stop by to visit in person.
Thing to Think About Today:
In honor of bear named after a black bear, allow us to close things out tonight with some Black Sheep. Close enough, right? We're wrapping up with The Choice is Yours: Good night, all.
Thanks to my good friend Kelli, I got to try out the Black Bear porter from Timber Creek Tap & Table. Timber Creek is located in tiny Meadville (Pennsylvania). For such a small town, I actually have two connections. Kelli and her family and a crazy roommate from college. Strange how small the world can be. The beer is made onsite in their 10 bbl brew house, which just opened in May 2012. If not for Kelli, I probably never would have gotten my hands on this beer!
The Black Bear porter poured a very dark brown, almost black liquid. It had a thick tan head. The aroma was roasted malt and what reminded me of communion wafers (sorry, non-religious readers). The flavor was perfect--coffee with hints of baking cocoa and pumpernickel bread. It finished smooth with a bit of burnt coffee. I'm so excited that I have a nice big growler of this beer so I can savor it. Who knows the next time I'll get my grubby little paws in it? Beer stats
Style: Porter
ABV: 6%
IBUs: 35
Rating: Great Previously reviewed from Timber Creek
This is the first beer from Timber Creek!
Beer #362 St. Nikolaus Bock Bier / Pennsylvania Brewing Company, Pittsburgh, PA Beers to go: 4
Good productive day today, although I'm very glad it's winding down. I was scheduled to be in a training all day at work, but the instructor never showed up so the class left, and because my schedule was completely devoid of meetings, I opted to work from home. I love that I have the flexibility to work from home, but admittedly I don't get as much done sitting in front of my laptop as I do at my office. Too many distractions - errands that need to be run, dogs who beg me to take them for a walk, games of Words With Friends to play, and a fridge full of stupendous beers calling my name....
Thankfully, the work day is over and the beers can begin! Tonight I'm sampling a St. Nikolaus from Penn Brewing in Pittsburgh. This is the last of my supply of beers that have been given to me as a gift - although that shouldn't stop you from sending me more free brews to try. In the glass, this beer has a deep brown color with plenty of red highlights and an off-white head. There are pleasing aromas of malt and spice, and he flavors are great for winter: lightly toasted malt, caramel, and a hint of cherry. Really nice beer, and well worth your effort at this time of year.
Bock to the Future!
This brewery opened their doors for business in 1986, but their building dates back to 1848, when the Eberhart and Ober families started a brewery in 1848. E&O survived until 1952, and three of the buildings at the Penn Brewery complex are on the National Register of Historic Places. Good stuff. Thing to Think About Today:
So.... Pittsburgh. I'm going way back here, as I'm going to encourage you all to think about one of the best movies ever involving the sport of basketball, The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh. This film answers the question of what do you get when you mix basketball, disco, sequins, short shorts, afros, glitter, more disco, and (wait for it...).... astrology. Apparently, a down on their luck basketball team realizes the one thing that can get them to the championship game is having a roster of players all born under the Pisces sign. Yes, you read that correctly, and no, I have no idea how much drugs the writers, producers, and directors were taking to think this plot was a good idea. While astral connections are always one way to build your team, perhaps they should just get Dr. J the ball more. Don't sleep on this movie, as there's some star power present - besides Dr. J we find Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Stockard Channing, Debbie Allen, and Flip Wilson, to name a few. Check it out, and prepare to be amazed:
Beer #360 Bumble Berry / Fat Head's Brewery, North Olmstead, OH Beers to go: 6
We've hit the 360 beer mark, which means we're in the final week of the blog! So many exciting things in store, as I'm counting the ballots for my year-end awards. Brewery of the Year, Beer of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Brewery Visit of the Year, etc. Be on the lookout..... it's going to be legendary.
Can't look too far ahead, as we're still on our last seven beers. Tonight's brew is Bumble Berry, a honey blueberry ale from Fat Head's Brewery in Ohio. This beer was a late season gift, which I very much appreciate. In the glass this beer has a clear light amber color, with a wispy white head. Your nose picks up a nice blueberry and grain aroma, and the taste is pure summertime - good, natural blueberry taste, with some good sweetness and a clean finish. It's as though they managed to take a blueberry muffin, and make beer out of it. This beer would be great in the summertime, and seeing how it was over 60 degrees today here in Philly, it's not too bad in December either.
I've also had the fortune of recently sampling Fat Head's Head Hunter IPA (also a gift from a dear friend!), which was a very good beer. Looking forward to adding these beers into my rotation if they start shipping further east.
Berry good summer beer. See what I did there?
Side note: The guy on the label, Mr. Fat Head, I presume, has more than a passing resemblance to former University of Kansas head football coach Mark Mangino. See?
Fat Head Logo
Coach Mark Mangino. Separated at birth?
This brewery originally started as a brewpub on the South Side of Pittsburgh in 1992, and they moved to a larger brewery space in Ohio in 2009. They also maintain pubs in Pittsburgh and Cleveland. No information available on their website about the girth of the founder's head, but we'll assume it was/is significant.
Thing to Think About Today:
We've talked a fair bit about the Fat Head aspect of this brewery, so let's change course and close out today's post with a tie to the beer: in the spirit of Bumble Berry beer and the Christmas season, Chuck Berry will be taking us home with his rendition of Run, Run Rudolph. Good night, friends.... see you tomorrow.
Beer #358 Coke Oven Stout / Rust Belt Brewing Company, Youngstown, OH Beers to go: 8
Very productive today, accomplished many things. Not everything, but the important things. And, I managed to get some takeout Chinese food dinner, which is always a great way to close out a Sunday afternoon. Good day, indeed.
We'll close out today with a beer, and tonight I'm going with a Coke Oven Stout from Rust Belt Brewing. This beer was a gift from a dear friend with roots back in Ohio, and when you pour it in a glass, it has a dark black color with a tan head. It's a stout, of course it looks like that. There are aromas of cocoa and toasted malt, and the taste has a smoky characteristic, with plenty of toasted malt and some chocolate hiding out in there. A relatively thin stout, it has a clean, dry finish. I like their label - all of their beers have a gritty, industrial feel. For better or for worse, the area known as the Rust Belt earned the name for a reason. Rather than pretending that Youngstown (and many towns just like it) is something it isn't, these guys embrace the blue color work ethic and celebrate the industry that helped quite literally build a nation.
Does not taste rusty
For those who don't know how steel is made, coke is carbonized bituminous coal, used to power the blast furnaces involved in the making of steel.
Thing to Think About Today:
Wish there was more time left in this Sunday, as I freely admit I'm not looking forward to going to work on Monday (partially because I was there today, but whatever). So, in honor of the Rust Belt, let's keep the party going with some Rusted Root. And - just because I'm good like this, Rusted Root also hails from the Rust Belt. This song was great when it came out sophomore year of college, and it's still great today. Enjoy the remainder of your day, my friends...
Beer #353 Pipe Organ Pale Ale / Church Brew Works, Pittsburgh, PA Beers to go: 13
Winter made an early house call today with some fluffy white snow. My initial thought this morning was that I wanted to be huddled under a blanket, drinking some hot chocolate, sitting in front of a fire. Nothing that happened today changed that original opinion. I don't mind winter one bit, but I really prefer when winter doesn't happen on work days and does happen under my terms and conditions.
What better way to welcome some big, wet snowflakes than with a beer? How about the Pipe Organ ale from Church Brew Works in Pittsburgh? This beer was a gift from friends at our tailgate last weekend, who brought us some choice selections from the Steel City. This American Pale ale is a crystal clear light amber color. The aroma is a nice blend of pine and citrus. The taste is clean, with hops throughout and ample malt sweetness. Clean, dry finish, with some bitterness on the end. Light enough at 4.3% ABV, this is a good beer for those who like hops, but maybe don't want to marry hops and have hop babies. Just wish I hadn't burned the roof of my mouth on the pizza I made for dinner, which would have allowed me to enjoy it a bit more. Not the beer's fault, that one is on me.
The only way I like going to church!
Cool story behind this brewery, as they operate in a former Catholic Church. The building was built in 1902, and served as St. John the Baptist Church until 1993. Church Brew set up shop in 1996, and has been going strong ever since. Definitely a destination I intend to visit next time I'm in the 'burgh.
Thing to Think About Today:
You may not think about this every day, but the city of Pittsburgh has been the setting for some great movies. Your preference might be the high school football movie All the Right Moves (Tom Cruise!) or the action flick Striking Distance (Bruce Willis!), but for my money, I'm definitely taking the comedy route and going with Gung Ho.
Directed by Ron Howard and starring Michael Keaton, this film tells the story of a recently shuttered automobile plant outside Pittsburgh, which is given a new lease on life when a Japanese auto firm moves in to manufacture cars in America. Great... in theory, except the marriage of two diverse cultures doesn't get off on the right foot, and it's up to Keaton to bring peace to the plant and the town. Or else the Japanese firm will move their business elsewhere! Classic film, great selection to watch on a cold winter day. You can trust me on this.
I have a great post rattling around in my head and I cannot get it out to save my life. I've started three different intros. I attempted to jump in the middle and sneak up on it. I sat here and flipped through a bunch of photos from this football season. Ok that last one wasn't even supposed to help, but I mean, come on! Who doesn't want to look at Michael Mauti?
Instead I'm just going to sit here with this song rolling through my brain...courtesy of KFOG radio...
So in lieu of a long rambling, nostalgic and perhaps a bit maudlin post, I'll tell you about a beer from The Church Brew Works. It's their Pipe Organ pale ale -- an American pale ale made in Pittsburgh. Thanks to our friends Casey and Mike for getting this one for us!
It pours a clear golden color with very little to no head. It has a soapy hop aroma. For a beer with an ABV of only 4.3%, the alcohol is very noticeable. The flavor has lots of cracker and bitter, earthy, piney hops. Thinking back on some of the other American pale ales I've had this year, I can only rate this one average.
Beer #352 Gumballhead / Three Floyds Brewing Company, Munster, IN Beers to go: 14
Tonight I'm reviewing a beer from a brewery I've had on my wish list for some while. I managed to score a bottle as a gift from a friend who is connected in the seedy beer trading underworld. Ask them no questions, they'll tell you no lies. Tonight, you get the long-anticipated Gumballhead, a pale wheat ale from Three Floyds Brewing.
This beer is a hazy gold, with very little head in the glass. The aroma is of grapefruit and lemon - more like an IPA than a wheat beer. The texture of this beer is thin, but the taste is flavorful; packed with citrus, wheat, and some light peach notes. There's a nice bit of hops in there giving it a dry, mildly bitter finish. Definitely more hops than I was expecting from a wheat beer, but nothing overpowering. With a great blend of drinkability and flavor, this beer will hopefully be a go-to beer for me... should they ever decide to ship to Pennsylvania. Until then? Someone in Chicago (because really, I don't know anyone who lives in Indiana) needs to ship me some, and pronto. While this beer doesn't reside in my home state, it does officially earn a spot in my Top 25 for the year.
Fun label, better beer.
In case you were wondering, and you probably were, this brewery was in fact named for three Floyds: Mike Floyd and his sons Nick and Simon. The brewery started in 1996, and in 2005 they added a brewpub for to serve the many people who came to visit and sample their beers. Gumballhead was named in honor of a character created by underground cartoon artist Rob Syers.
Thing to Think About Today:
In this space, I've shared with you one of my favorite bands in the world, Talking Heads, five times to date. Let's face it, if today is a Top 25 beer, don't you deserve the best? Well, you do, but I have interests beyond the music of Talking Heads, so I'll leave you with another great artist - Warren Zevon, and his unusual classic Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner. This particular performance was the last live show Zevon did, as he passed away shortly thereafter in 2003.
A world class beer named for an underground comic, wrapped up by a beautiful and mournful song about mercenary from Norway who served in the Congo War, only to lose his head (well obviously) and haunt the battlefield to exact his revenge. One of those nights, people. One of those nights.
