TTB Find of the Week: Otter Creek Rebrands Itself and a New Seasonal From Magic Hat

While they have certainly made minor tweaks over the years, Otter Creek Brewing Company's brand identity has remained basically the same for nearly 20 years now. That's all about to change according to the Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), as labels were recently approved to drastically overhaul their image, and I have to say that I'm torn. While I like the new look for it's cleanliness and sophistication, I don't love it. That said, I do always lean toward the nostalgic side of things and hate to see the old look go, especially since I think said look very much ties into and plays off of their New England heritage, something that gets lost in the more generic branding of their new labels.

Also of note is the introduction of a new beer to the lineup: Solstice Ale. The label itself calls the beer an "interpretation of the perfect session ale," and at 4% ABV it certainly fits the bill.





And finally in what could be classified as the least shocking news ever as it seems to be never-ending news, Magic Hat is tweaking their lineup yet again! This time they are introducing Vinyl Lager as their new Spring seasonal beer. It comes in at 5.1% ABV and via their Twitter account, Magic Hat gave it the basic description of "a malt-based lager that will be [our] spring offering in 2010." It looks like this beer has been around in some form since at least early 2009, as there are a handful of reviews that have popped up on the internet already. The label for this one (seen below) was designed by Jim Pollock, perhaps most famous for his Phish concert poster designs, which makes him a fitting tie-in for Magic Hat.

Tripel Dubbel Q&A: Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project

And so it returns. After a four or five month hiatus for no reason other than lack of sending out questions on my part, the Tripel Dubbel Q&A has descended upon us once again. Bob Sylvester from Saint Somewhere Brewing tackled the first session here, and this time we've turned to a Massachusetts/New England fixture (except for when he decides to brew overseas): Dann Paquette of the Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project.

Dann has been brewing professionally since the early 1990's and his career has included stops at Ipswich Brewing Company, The Pilgrim Brewery, Mill City Brewing Company, John Harvard's Brew House, North East Brewing Company, The Concorde Brewery, The Haverhill Brewery (all located in Massachusetts) and The Daleside Brewery (in North Yorkshire, England).

His latest labor of (beer) love is Pretty Things, a "Beer and Ale Project" that was founded with his wife Martha and which brews a small but growing lineup of artisanal beer that includes, amongst others, flagship Jack D'Or (an American-Belgian saison hybrid), Baby Tree (a quadrupel brewed with dried plums) and Saint Botolph's Town (a "big malty brown ale"). All of Dann's beers are not contract brewed at Buzzards Bay Brewing in Westport, MA, which he will explain to you, well, now:


What made you choose Buzzards Bay as your production facility for Pretty Things, and please explain to those who might not understand the business side of the brewing process how you are NOT in fact a contract brewed brand.

Well, I've been friends with Bill Russell from Buzzard's Bay before there was even a brewery. For a while back in the mid 1990's when I was a brewer at North East Brewing Company in Allston, MA we were the only brewery in New England doing wood-aged beer. Since I've always been a weirdo, sour beer in wood was on my radar. I called Bill at his winery and he let me take a lovely French wine barrel off his hands. We made several of the first sour beers made in the US, using lactobacili for acidification in that barrel. By the way if you want to see it, last I knew it was sitting in a corner in the dining room of The Tap in Haverhill.

Anyway, there's a really amazing brewery down in Westy, on a 500 acre farm. Why wouldn't I like to be brewing there?

Why is Pretty Things NOT a contract? Well a contract brewing situation is where you pay someone to make beer for you. I make beer for us in someone else's brewery. That's why!

You've done the brewpub thing, been a brewer at production facilities both domestically and overseas, and even developed Rapscallion, a unique artisanal line within the structure of an existing brewery: which has proven to be the most valuable challenge for you and why?

Yorkshire was a decent challenge. It took me ages to understand my coworkers' accents and it felt (brewery-wise at least) that I had gone back in time. But I have to admit that I'm not eager to brew at brewpubs. I've worked at three over the years. With brewpubs you can be only as good as the neighborhood that drinks your beer wants you to be, and if the nachos come out cold then my beer sucks. It's all about all of that restaurant stuff. I prefer to be in the brewing industry where you connect with people who love beer - not good table service.

Anyway, I've done a lot since 1992. The biggest challenge was ages ago when most people didn't want good beer. We were marketing to anyone who would even pretend to want us. I remember many tastings, charity events and festivals back in the day (like many dozens) where I wasted a lot of time setting up, pouring and driving home late at night for people who would never even think of drinking good beer again (at least anytime soon). We're all spoiled now with the great consumers here in our market. We all need to thank Jason and Todd Alström for bringing it all together. The only problem is that these days, consumers that have been drinking beer for three months are spoiled for good beer, it's a different place than where my generation is from. For instance, growing up in good beer in my late teens I knew almost no one else who was into it or knowledgeable - so it was largely a personal thing. Now it's ALL about other people's opinions. I think that's sad.

Pretty Things has grown steadily but fairly quickly. Besides your home turf of Massachusetts, you're now available in Philadelphia and parts of eastern Pennsylvania, New York City and Minnesota. What's next in terms of distribution expansion? Is there even capacity to do so within your current facility agreement?

There's plenty of capacity and Rhode Island is an obvious place to go to. We're also in an agreement with a new distributor in Vancouver BC. But our biggest growth market is Massachusetts and that's our focus.

Which Pretty Things beer is your favorite and why?

Jack D'Or is my favorite. It was the first and just like children you always love the first one the best.

If you could brew a collaborative beer with any other US brewer/brewery, who would it be an why?

Am I the only one who doesn't get the whole collaboration thing? You fly a thousand miles to make a throw-away beer for what: ego and one shelf space? But if someone were to ask me I'd like it to be in a brewery I was interested in brewing on their equipment. How is Yuengling for an answer?

What is your proudest moment as a professional brewer?

With Pretty Things I've had some great moments. It's been like a rebirth for me. Around the time John Lennon was killed I remember hearing and reading all of the interviews about how happy he was at 40. I remember as a young kid wondering how anything could be better than standing there in a green Sgt Pepper's costume knowing you had just recorded "A Day in the Life" with the Beatles? But there comes a time when it is your time and it's all positive. Listen, I do things my way and I'm happy to have the opportunity with Martha to put this all together. We brew beer to our tastes, based on real experiences in Europe and the US as beer-lovers. There's no style, no nonsense like that. Just flavours and ingredients we know. Style is essentially a bunch of numbers that don't translate into flavour and imposed on culturally-authentic beers in the past tense. They were never meant to be "recipes", just historical records. Beer is an ephemeral thing - it's got a very short relevance. In other words: styles are meaningless in the present tense to American brewers. Doing my own thing with Martha and having people out there to enjoy it? That's the best thing ever.


Thanks to Dann for a quick reply with answers that were both thoughtful and insightful, and keep on the lookout for the next round of Tripel Dubbel, which I assure you is not months away this time...


Beer, Hopback, Pretty Things, Massachusetts, Dann Paquette, Jack D'Or, Baby Tree, Saint Botolph's Town, Yuengling, New England, Buzzards Bay, Rapscallion

The Low End Theory

Oatmeal Stout is probably my favorite beer style. There's just something about it's overall smoothness mixed with it's typical sweetness that gets me every time, especially when said sweetness is countered with a nice dose of roasted malt flavor. So, when I saw a single bomber of Conspiracy Theory from Manchester Brewing Company sitting all by it's lonesome on the store shelf, I had to take it home.

This one is such a deep, dark brown color that you could almost call it black as night. A slightly creamy tan head tops the beer off, but subsides fairly quickly leaving bits of residue clinging to the sides of the glass. Not bad.

The aroma and flavor go pretty much hand in hand here: there's a good amount of sweet milk chocolate in the aroma, however it takes on more bitter characteristics in the flavor as it blends with coffee notes that are present but more subtle in the aroma. Darker fruit notes help to keep the sweetness alive throughout. I think I picked up some hints of licorice here and there, and there is also a fairly strong alcohol presence. You can sense it in the aroma and it definitely helps to accent any burnt or roasted malt flavoring. It actually makes the beer seem a bit "hot" at times, especially in the mouth feel, which is a bit thin at times for the style. I tend to associate a stronger alcohol presence with Imperial Stouts, and would much prefer a creamier, smoother body with an Oatmeal Stout.

This is a decent take on the style overall and is actually quite an easy beer to drink. It also gets bonus points because I finished off the bottle just as the World Champion New York Yankees were clinching their 27th World Series title. But seriously, it was an enjoyable stout in the end but I would definitely rein in the alcohol. Toning that down a bit and giving this one a bit more of a full body would take Conspiracy Theory from good to very good, but that's just my opinion. Still, I'm intrigued to try more from these guys, who I hadn't even heard of until this weekend as they are fairly new to the craft beer scene, brewing out of New Hampshire for only about a year or so now from what I can gather. Check out their stuff if you can.


Beer, Hopback, Manchester Brewing, New Hampshire, Conspiracy Theory, Oatmeal Stout

TTB Find of the Week: Sam Adams Strikes Yet Again

My apologies if my sporadic posts have been heavy on the Samuel Adams chatter of late, but they've clearly had a lot going on in 2009. The latest find from them via the always great TTB site is the forthcoming release of a new seasonal beer called Noble Pils.

According to the label it is one of the only beers to be brewed using "all five noble hops from the world's oldest growing regions." It appears as if it will be available in both 12 ounce and 22 ounce bottles.

To give credit when it's due, user MarioL66 from BeerAdvocate provided some further details on this one, noting that it will be replacing the White Ale (which previously replaced the Spring Ale) as the SA Spring seasonal in 2010. It was supposedly originally developed and brewed for the wedding of Jim Koch's daughter. Said user apparently got the details from a Boston Beer Company marketing e-mail that was testing names for the beer.

It'll be nice to have a pilsner back in the SA lineup. The Golden Pilsner that got the axe in the late '90's was always solid, and while I didn't hate the White Ale, it didn't separate itself enough from the Summer Ale in my opinion and especially now with the recent introduction of Coastal Wheat, which to me is a White/Summer hybrid as previously mentioned, the White just didn't fit in anymore. I wouldn't have minded a return to the underated Spring Ale kolsch, but the Noble Pils seems like it may be a welcome addition.


Hopback, beer, Samuel Adams, Noble Pils, White Ale, BeerAdvocate, Jim Koch, Boston, TTB

Smashing Pumpkins

For reasons I still can't figure out, I always seem to overlook the Heavy Seas lineup from Maryland's Clipper City Brewery at stores. It's not that they make bad beer. Aside from one or two hiccups their lineup is actually quite solid, and has some real gems like their Loose Cannon IPA, Peg Leg Imperial Stout and Winter Storm "Category 5" ESB. Anyway, a recent trip to the store had me staring at a few of their most recent offerings from their Mutiny Series of big beers. Always on the lookout for a new Pumpkin Ale, I picked up a bottle of The Great Pumpkin and gave it a go.

It's got the typical Pumpkin Ale look to it: an orange-copper color with an average sized off-white head that settles into a thin lace fairly quickly. It looks very clean and crisp overall.

Although many say that the use of actual pumpkins in beer provides little to no aroma or flavor, I actually found there to be a definite pumpkin vibe here that was balanced nicely by a subtle spice blend that consisted of cinnamon, a bit of nutmeg and a healthy dose of caramel. There may have even been a hint of ginger in the mix.

Sip after sip the flavor takes on all of the characteristics of the aroma but pumps up the spice a bit, yet not to the point of being overbearing. Cinnamon and nutmeg take the lead most of the way and then caramel finds its way into the mix toward the finish of each sip. I'm still picking up a bit of ginger as well. Call me crazy, but it's there.

Where Clipper City hits the mark with this one is that they beef everything up to make it "Imperial," but they don't go over the top with the spices, which is the dagger that most breweries fall on when they miss the mark with a spiced ale. The Great Pumpkin thankfully makes the grade across the board and also hides it's somewhat high 8.5% ABV quite well over the course of the bottle. A very good job. This one is as direct as can be for the style yet packs a nice flavor punch that's balanced and memorable. I would definitely pick it up again...


Hopback, Beer, Clipper City, Maryland, Mutiny Series, The Great Pumpkin, Imperial, Pumpkin Ale, Heavy Seas, Baltimore

A Hazy Shade of Winter

Word is in that the 2009 Samuel Adams Winter Classics Mix Pack (always a favorite for SA fans) has hit the streets, and the Boston Beer Company has apparently shit the bed big time with this years edition.

In a nutshell, the pack offers the only chance each year to obtain their most excellent Old Fezziwig Ale, equally impressive Holiday Porter and also the liquid death known as Cranberry Lambic. Two others, their flagship Boston Lager and seasonal Winter Lager, are also always included, and justifiably so: The Boston Lager is Samuel Adams and is a great year round beer, and having the Winter Lager in a Winter themed twelve pack is just a no-brainer. The sixth and final beer (two bottles of each are to be had in each pack, for those not in the know) has been up for grabs over the years. Previously they had tried to fit the Sam Adams Light into the pack and, well, it just didn't work with the rest of the collection. The past few years the BBC has gotten it right and included their Cream Stout in the mix. This year? They made what is arguably their biggest mistake yet, by putting their brand spanking new Coastal Wheat in as the last beer. Yes, you heard me, Coastal Wheat. The slightly above average wheat ale that tastes strikingly similar to their Summer Ale (actually, to me it's sort of a Summer Ale-White Ale hybrid) and is more beaches and palm trees than it is snowballs and Christmas trees.

This really is shameless force-feeding of the beer into the marketplace by the BBC. Yes, I get that they want to push their newest product, but in a Winter Pack? Not a chance. For as horrid as the Lambic is, at least it fits in with the Winter/holiday theme of the pack, and at least in that sense I can't argue with it's inclusion. Make no mistake, the Coastal Wheat isn't a bad beer. It's not that great either, but it is marginally enjoyable in the end. It simply has no place in this collection of beers.

Of their current offerings, there are some obvious choices to fill this beer slot: Black Lager, Scotch Ale, or the aforementioned Cream Stout. I'd say the Honey Porter too but there's already a porter in the mix. Hell, the Irish Red or Brown Ale would even work (although I see them as Spring and Autumn beers, respectively). I'd even accept a price increase on the pack if they threw in a couple Imperial Stouts as the final beer. Now that would be an awesome collection.

I found it to be odd that they released the Coastal in late September and this move is even more bizarre, at least from an overall collection standpoint. Unfortunately the sad part is that in the end this tactic will work for them. People aren't going to shy away from the Winter Classics. The love for for the Fezziwig and Porter is off the charts and you can't get them anywhere else. They're just going to hope that people enjoy the Coastal. I for one was unimpressed overall when I sampled it, but we shall see.

Oh and one final thought for the BBC folks to ponder: you know those bombers of Boston Lager and Octoberfest that have been showing up on the shelves in recent months? Both Old Fezziwig and the Holiday Porter would look great in those. A case of each would easily make it into my stash every holiday season. I know it'll almost certainly never happen, but one can dream...


Hopback, beer, Samuel Adams, Winter Classics, Old Fezziwig, Holiday Porter, Coastal Wheat, Cranberry Lambic

TTB Find of the Week: BIG Beer from Blue Moon?

This one was actually approved by the TTB back in the summer, so I'm surprised I hadn't heard about it until now, but MillerCoors' faux-craft Blue Moon brand appears ready to test the waters of the big beer market with Grand Cru, an 8.2% ABV behemoth (for them) brewed with coriander and orange peel, and available in 750ml bottles. Wow. Just, well...wow. One things for certain, I can't say that I'm not intrigued.

If you notice, it still has the "Belgian White, Belgian-Style Wheat Ale" tag to it that the standard Blue Moon beer carries, so it would seem that this is just an amped up version of their flagship for the brand, but we shall see...

The label clearly notes a 2009 "vintage," so look for it to hit the shelves sometime in the next couple of months.


Hopback, beer, Blue Moon, MillerCoors, Grand Cru, Belgian White

The Foam Keeps Getting Thicker

Just a quick post to note that Phish announced today via it's website for Festival 8 that Sierra Nevada has brewed a special beer exclusively available at the festival in Indio, California two weeks from now. Word is that it is a pilsner, has been given the name FOAM and will be draft only, no bottles.

They also note that over 50 beers will be available, including "microbrews, ‘beers of the world’, Pabst Blue Ribbon." While I'm guessing beers of the world will be the likes of Bass, Stella Artois, Guinness, etc., this is still great news all around for festival-goers!

2009-10-16 UPDATE: I spoke directly with Sierra Nevada earlier this evening and the girl who answered the phone had no idea what I was talking about regarding this beer. I was put on hold for a minute or two and when she returned, the story was that the beer was simply their "regular pilsner." While SN has brewed a few pilsners over the years, their only real "regular" one is the Summerfest, So I wouldn't be surprised if FOAM is simply that beer renamed, which, while still nice to have on tap, is still a bit of a letdown after the initial news.

2009-10-29 UPDATE #2: Apaprently the girl on the phone @ Sierra Nevada had no idea what she was talking about. From the SN press release:

Sierra Nevada Brewing is pleased to present FOAM, a special beer created especially for the Phish Festival 8 in Indio, California.

FOAM is a German-style pilsner beer that we are brewing specifically for the Phish Festival. Phish have been longtime fans of Sierra Nevada and after talks with the band, event organizers, and management, we agreed to brew this beer for the festival.

A lot of us here at the brewery are Phish-heads, including several of our master brewers, and it only seemed natural to team up with a great band and a great California festival. This is a fun way to offer fans a liquid souvenir and to show our support for the music scene.

For the beer itself, we were looking for a lighter style with a lot of character. Here at the brewery we occasionally brew different Pilsner-style beers throughout the year, and decided a special Pilsner would be just the thing for this festival. We brewed 150 kegs of beer, all of which will be sent to the show. This is a draft-only product and we do not expect the beer to be available outside of the event.

Come out to the Phish: Festival 8 and hear great music and enjoy great beer.

Foam is a German-style Pilsner, light bodied and easy drinking, yet loaded with flavor. Brewed with a mix of European and American malts, balanced by a spicy, and herbal hop kick. Brewed specifically for Phish: Festival 8, Foam is a crisp and refreshing traditional pale gold lager beer. In the words of Phish—“I’m looking through, And it all would be, So crystal clear, If it wasn’t for the foam.” Great music, great beer, and good times.

beer, Hopback, Phish, pilsner, Foam, Sierra Nevada, Indio, California

Bob Dylan's 115th Dream

It's been seven years since I've lived in Boston and I've missed it just about every day. One of the things I miss the most is being able to pick up the "New England only" beers on a regular basis: Hooker, New England Brewing, Berkshire, Coastal Extreme, etc. I was able to make a trip up a couple of weeks ago and stocked up on some of said New England only beers. I was also very eager to try stuff from one of the newest additions to the New England beer scene, Mayflower Brewing, as I had enjoyed Matthew Steinberg's beers whilst he was still at Offshore, and I always dig anything that has the slightest historic/colonial theme to it.

First on the agenda was the Porter: it pours a nice looking dark brown color with lighter shades of brown shining through. The head is decent sized and has a slight creaminess to it and settles in to a nice thin lace.

The aroma is just great: heavy bitter chocolate with hints of coffee and roasted earthy malt. There's a nice bit of caramel sweetness that cuts through it all to balance the aroma out nicely.

Flavors really grab a hold of you and continue on with the excellence of the aroma. Bitter chocolate again leads, with roasted malt becoming a bit more pronounced here and coffee taking a slight back seat, as I found it to be noticeable only toward the finish of each sip. Even the caramel is toned down a bit, which I like as it brings out the more rugged qualities of the flavor. I did think this one seemed a touch thin at first but quickly realized that it's actually spot on for a porter. I think I was expecting or wanting a heavier body due to the rugged flavor but think that would have pushed this one more into stout territory. It's just fine and just right where it is.

This was quite simply a pleasure to drink and a very quaffable beer. ABV is still low enough at 5.5% to make this one an excellent choice for a session beer. I know I could certainly drink it all night. The porter was a great first step into the world of Mayflower, and it is definitely now on my list of things to pick up when in town.

The Golden Ale was up next and it looks great: there's a slight haze to the golden color and a huge frothy head nearly spills over the side of the glass.

There's a nice grassy sweetness to this one but also a bit of juiciness as well. The outdoors-y floral, grassiness is a nice change of pace for the style and very welcoming.

The flavor takes on a bit of a pilsner characteristic that brings in a slightly grainy malt base to compliment the wispy grass sweetness that carries over from the aroma. A simple but nice combination. Not as juicy as I would've expected from the aroma, but said characteristic does come through a bit toward the finish of each sip.

This is just a nice easy drinking sessionable brew that would make for a nice transition beer for the macro drinker yet still packs enough of a flavor punch to satisfy most any beer geek. This is a nice take on the style for sure.

Finally we've got the Pale Ale, which has a sparkling, crisp copper color to it and a medium head that leaves thick rings of residue on the glass.

The aroma here is similar in some ways to the Golden, as there's a grassy, somewhat floral sweetness flowing through, but it then incorporates some caramel and a bit of a biscuit breadiness. Unfortunately, everything's a bit faint here so the overall impression is a bit average. The flavor steps it up a a notch or two by bringing out the sweetness and the grassy flavors and also throwing a subtle hop bite. It's quite balanced and tasty in the end.

The Pale was light and crisp, with a simple, flavorful presentation in the end. It was my least favorite of the three that I sampled, but still liked it quite a bit overall and would call it a solid brew for sure.

Well, there you have it. Mayflower made a great impression on me with three well crafted beers. The Porter in particular stood out and I'm already jonesing for more. There's actually a fourth regular beer from Mayflower, their IPA, and I still can't figure out why I didn't bring any bottles back with me. It was in stock at the store and I think I even had it in my hand at one point. Clearly I set it down and forgot to pick it back up. Oh well, just another excuse to seek it out when I have the chance to get back up to Boston again. Hopefully their Thanksgiving Ale will also be available, as I am intrigued by it's description of being a blend of an American Strong Ale and an English Old Ale. These guys are a great addition to the craft beer world and I highly suggest you check them out if and when you have a chance.


Hopback, beer, Mayflower, Massachusetts, Boston, New England, Porter, Golden Ale, Pale Ale, IPA, Matthew Steinberg, Offshore

Over the Hills and Far Away

A new brewery from Massachusetts? Yes, please. I'd actually read up on the Blue Hills Brewery in the BeerAdvocate magazine a while back and liked what I read, so I was eager to pick up some of their stuff when I had the chance. All that I was able to grab was the Blue Hill India Pale Ale, and I gave it a spin the other night.

First off, I know the contents are what matters, but the label on this one is like the cut and paste job from hell. I know the marketing budget's probably non-existant, but it looks like something my soon to be seven year old threw together.

Anyway, back to more important stuff: the beer. There's a slightly hazy, copper color here, with a frothy, smallish off-white head atop the liquid that leaves spotty residue on the glass. Off to a pretty good start, but...

It's all downhill from there. The aroma give off a general maltiness, with some grassy hops (yet the malt still dominates). Some hints of toasted bread float about as well. The problem is that there are definite spots of cooked vegetables here, which is just totally out of the blue and out of place.

The flavor is just more of the same: hops are minimal (this is an IPA, people!) and have a slight bitter bite at the finish. Toasted malt leads again, and cooked veggies still persist...why? It's got a bit of a rubbery taste at times too. There is decent bready finish with each sip, so I will give it that, but that's about all I'll give it.

I was very disappointed here. This is not an IPA at all, and is really a mess all around with unbalanced and out of place flavors. It's all over the map and I most definitely walked away disappointed. I checked some reviews on BeerAdvocate and they're all over the map with just about equal amounts of A's and B's as there are D's and F's. Perplexing, which leads me to believe that there are some serious quality control issues and this could be a good brew eventually once said issues are worked out. Avoid for now.

Hopback, beer, Blue Hills, Massachusetts, IPA, BeerAdvocate,

Tröegs JavaHead Stout Released!

It's official: Tröegs Oatmeal Stout is back...well, sort of. JavaHead Stout is the latest beer to be added to the Tröegs arsenal, and per their latest newsletter is based on the original oatmeal stout from 2005. The new incarnation features "a blend of locally roasted espresso and Kenyan coffee beans by St. Thomas Roasters in Linglestown, PA."

Can't wait to Try some. I loved their original oatmeal stout and these new tweaks/changes/additions/whatever you want to call them sound like an even better beer. Bottling took place on August 25 and I've heard reports of it being on the streets already. Look for it if Troegs is available in your area!


hopback, beer, Troegs, stout, oatmeal, JavaHead, Pennsylvania

Ruben and the Jets

Well, that was easy enough. If you haven't noticed, most of my post titles are ripped from song/album names or lyrics. Seeing as the beer from Lagunitas Brewing Company that we're about to dive into was named after a Frank Zappa album, the work was already done for me. So thank you, Lagunitas.

It pours a decent looking dark brown to near black color, with a mid-sized tan head that is quick to dissolve, leaving a spot or two of itself lingering on the glass. Not bad.

There's a nice booziness to the aroma. It blends well with chocolate, some hints of coffee and definite dark berries. There's even a bit of a bourbon vibe here that brings out some wood notes. Very nice.

The flavor picks up right where the aroma left off, and even incorporates some vanilla into the mix toward the front. This one seems to be getting more and more complex by the sip. Coffee fades a bit and chocolate and berries still hold their own. There's not a harshness here that you'd expect with the style, but a nice smoothness, and said smoothness goes hand in hand with the slight alcohol warmth in each sip.

I really like how this one played out. It's an enjoyable, flavorful Double Stout that packs some heat but doesn't go over the top in any way. VERY easy to drink. I'm quite happy that I decided to pick this one up and would suggest that you do the same should you still be able to find it. In fact, I may head out soon to ransack the store in which I found it for their remaining bottles.



Hopback, beer, Lagunitas, California, Zappa, Ruben and the Jets, stout

Live Art

I really dig the Rock Art Brewery. Their beer is always solid and they are always putting out new and interesting stuff without falling into the trap of becoming too over-the-top extreme. Plus, founder and head brewer Matt Nadeau is probably one of the nicest people you'll ever meet (check out a quick video from Matt at the end of this post for a bit more info on the beer we'll be reviewing here today).

While Matt's beers have been available here in New Jersey for some time now, they are sometimes a bit difficult to come by. So when I do spot a new Rock Art style on the shelves (or at least new to me) I tend to snatch up a few bottles right away. This time around, I was able to grab some Belvidere Big IPA.

It pours a crisp, amber color with a big, cascading, frothy head that leaves gobs of residue on the glass. Sweet juicy aromas immediately come to the forefront with a bit pf pine added into the mix (always a bonus in my mind...more pine, please), along with some caramel, a bit of bread and a touch of citrus.

The flavor is similar to aroma, but with much more of a bread vibe to it. There's a bit of pine in the middle and a sharp bitter finish. Alcohol is well hidden and is only picked up slightly at the finish. There is a medium body to the liquid here that presents a bit of slickness and is perhaps a bit light for the style but still has a nice carbonation bit overall.

This is a very enjoyable beer to drink, and is certainly one of the smoothest and easiest drinking Double IPA's that I've ever come across. Perhaps that is due to a mouth feel that is tamer than most others in the style category. Very balanced flavor that is hoppy but not overly hoppy by any means, and certainly a step beyond a standard IPA but not an over the top hop blast. Well worth a try.



Hopback, beer, Vermont, Rock Art, Matt Nadeau, Belvidere, IPA

Breakfast at Tiffany's

I was only just able to sample Founders Brewing Company's Breakfast Stout for the first time about six months or so ago. It blew me away. It's just an amazing beer all around and easily one of the top five that I've ever had the chance to try. Needless to say, I was giddy as hell when I was able to come across a bottle of the just-as-famous Kentucky Breakfast Stout (or as it's now seemingly known, KBS) not too long ago. Side note: can distillers really claim "Kentucky" as their own, thus seemingly prompting the name change? That's shameful. I could understand if it had been called Jim Beam Breakfast Stout, but Kentucky? Really?

Anyway, the beer poured from the bottle looking like liquid coal, and settled in with a thickness that made it seem as if I had just drained my car's engine oil into my glass. Nice. No real head to speak of, but spots of brown are left on the glass here and there.

The aroma gives off strong notes of wood and vanilla, along with a fair amount of alcohol, all of which compliment the chocolate quite nicely. Coffee might be noticeable here and there but the barrel aging really takes hold in the aroma and makes for a boozy yet enticing experience.

The flavor definitely leads with vanilla as well. Coffee chimes in a bit more here, although is still pushed to the back most of the time, and mostly toward the finish of each sip, where it mixes with a bit of roasted malt and a touch of chocolate. Bourbon of course also comes into play here. It hangs around mostly in the middle of each sip I'd say, and has less of an alcohol vibe to it than one would expect given it's stronger presence in the aroma.

This is a a damn good beer, but I think the "basic" Breakfast Stout recipe blows this one out of the water (yes, they are two completely different recipes/beers. This isn't just the Breakfast Stout aged in barrels). Most people seem to prefer the KBS, but not me. Don't get me wrong, I'd never turn down a bottle of the KBS, but I'm just not typically a barrel-aged type of beer drinker. So for me to say I enjoyed just about everything about this beer says a little bit extra about it in my opinion. It'll be pricey if and when you can ever actually find it, but do yourself a favor and at least pick up a bottle to try if you ever do come across it. A great job all around by Founders.


Hopback, beer, Founders, Michigan, Kentucky, Breakfast, Stout, KBS

TTB Find of the Week: More from Boston Beer

The Boston Beer Company appears to be set to roll out some new additions to their Brewmaster's Collection.

The TTB site has label submissions listed for a Dunkelweizen and something called Coastal Wheat, which is described as a Wheat Ale brewed with Lemon Peel. Interesting. I wonder if they are going to phase out some of the current Brewmaster's selections or if they are just going to keep adding to the arsenal of beers they already brew. If it's the former, I wouldn't mind seeing the mediocre Hefeweizen or Pale Ale get the axe, or even the new Blackberry Witbier, although I suspect it's still too new for them to consider eliminating it already. Actually, my first choice might be to eliminate the Cherry Wheat, but it's been a staple and a top seller for far too long for them to even consider it's demise, I would suspect.

Also listed by the TTB was the info for this year's Patriot Homebrew offering. The winner for the year's competition was an Oatmeal Stout, and will be available only on draft at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution.


Click the images below for larger versions:











Hopback, beer, Boston, Samuel Adams, Dunkelweizen, Coastal Wheat, Oatmeal Stout, Patriot Homebrew,Gillette Stadium, New England, Patriots, Revolution

The Captain and the Kid

I could watch Deadliest Catch all day. All the episodes are basically the same but there's just something about the insanity of doing that job that reels me in (pun intended) every week (plus it's set up to record on my DVR so I couldn't miss it even if I tried). Needless to say, I was stoked when I saw that Rogue Ales had a special release called Captain Sig's Northwestern Ale, which they've billed as an India Red Ale, so I picked up a bottle and recently gave it a try.

It pours a mediocre but still not bad looking amber color with a somewhat frothy, somewhat creamy (but altogether slightly thinnish) off-white head that leaves a nice amount of residue on the glass after each sip.

I liked the aroma, simple as it was: caramel sweetness, some fruity hops and a hint of toasted bread here and there. These characteristics all hit in the flavor as well, but in a different fashion. They were more balanced overall in the aroma. Here, there's more of a bite from the hops and sweetness is subdued and left toward the back of each sip. There's a nice breadiness that leads the way here as the dominant flavor.

This wasn't a bad beer overall. Again, the aroma doesn't match the flavor. Well, it matches but is flip flopped in terms of dominant charateristics. It's easy to drink and flavorful but not overly memorable. Very much middle of the road in those terms. I would have this one again for sure, but it wouldn't be my first choice, especially given the overly inflated prices of Rogue bombers.

I suspect that most people who try it will like it but not love it, just as was the case with me.

Hopback, beer, Deadliest Catch, India Red Ale, Rogue, Oregon, Northwestern, Captain Sig's Northwestern Ale

NYC Homebrewers Rejoice

It has baffled me for years: New York, the largest city in the United States and one of the biggest in the world, has had only one homebrew shop to it's name, and said shop is located in Queens (which isn't New York).

Luckily things are starting to change in the city and not one, but two establishments are setting up shop in Brooklyn. The first, Brooklyn Brew Shop, has already opened for business as a part of the Brooklyn Flea. They are in Fort Greene on Saturdays and under the Brooklyn Bridge on Sundays. Proprietors Stephen and Erica have set up an online shop for you to make your selections ahead of time and then simply pick up at the flea market. If what you are looking for isn't listed on their site, they seem willing and able to make the effort to find it for you.

The second of the two is Brooklyn Homebrew. Benjamin Stutz and Danielle Cefaro have been blogging about their progress for some time now and have also been selling certificates offering up to $20 in free hombrewing supplies if you purchase a $40 or $80 certificate now. All certificates are guaranteed for a full refund of the purchase price if they do not open up shop by June 1, 2010 (and they are making a strong push to open much sooner than that, I might add). They also have some supplies already for sale, so check their blog often for updates if you live in the area.

Cheers to the success of both businesses and hopefully this is a sign of other things to come for the homebrew community in NYC. Please support them both in any way that you can in order to ensure their success.


Hopback, beer, Brooklyn, Homebrew, New York

QUADrophenia

Having spent six or so years in Boston in the late '90s/early '00s, I certainly drank my fair share of Harpoon products. It's nice to be able go back to them from time to time here in New Jersey, but we usually only seem to get the staples from the brewery: Harpoon IPA, UFO Hefeweizen and whatever the current seasonal is. So it's good to see the Leviathan Series making it's way out of New England and into stores around here. I believe of the four releases thus far from the series, the only one I didn't see at some point was the initial offering, which was a Baltic Porter.

For this go around I was able to grab a bottle of the Quad. It looks nice, pouring a murky brownish amber color with a thin head that settles in nicely atop the liquid.

I want to like the aroma but something is holding me back a bit: there's a nice blend of both dark berry and banana, pepper and caramel here along with subtle earth notes, but I think the alcohol presence may be a touch heavy-handed here, taking away from the other aromas instead of complimenting them.

Thankfully, the alcohol is scaled back somewhat in the flavor. It's still there for sure as this one is absolutely boozy, but it gives way a bit to those berry flavors, some candy sweetness toward the middle and also to the earth notes picked up in the aroma. I think the alcohol plays much better with the pepper flavor here as well, as you are hit you with a sharp pepper bite in each sip and then a nice warming effect from the alcohol.

This is a big beer for sure and at 11.75% ABV, a single twelve ounce bottle will do you just fine for the evening. I enjoyed it in the middle of the summer but think it'd be spot on sitting by the fire in the dead of winter. A good beer as it stands and one that could be even better with some taming of the alcohol in the aroma.

Hopback, beer, Harpoon, Leviathan, Boston, Quad

Sign o' the Times

Great article from Eric Asimov in the New York Times today about the state of craft beer in restaurants and bars in New York City. Click the link below for the full article. You may have to sign up (for free) to the Times website in order for article access. I say may because the site has always been finicky for me. Sometimes I have to sign in, other times I am sent right to the article I am trying to access. Oh, well...onto the link:





The Pour - Good Beer Demands Good Food - Review - NYTimes.com



New York Times, beer bar, Hopback, beer

Put Your Makeup on, Fix Your Hair Up Pretty and Meet Me Tonight in Atlantic City

Resorts Atlantic City recently decided that it'd be alright to mislead it's patrons by having a Miller Genuine Draft tap handle and a Miller Lite tap handle both pour from a Miller Lite keg. The New Jersey Casino Control Commission felt otherwise and fined the casino $5,000 for it's lack of attention to detail.

The CCC should have then fined the casino $50,000 for wasting two tap handles on crap beer.

Atlantic City, New Jersey, Hopback, beer, casino, Miller, Resorts, Miller Genuine Draft, Miller Lite

Stone 13th Anniversary: The Hoppiest Beer We've Ever Brewed

Leave it to Stone to up the ante once again, this time by brewing their 13th Anniversary Ale (an Imperial/Double Red) with 4.5 pounds of hops per barrel (to compare, Stone notes that their ultra hoppy 10th Anniversary IPA was brewed with only" 2.5 pounds of hops per barrel. Yikes! Some more info, direct from Mitch Steele at the brewery:

“Big, red, and a hop monster!”

1	This is the first time we’ve ever released the Imperial/Double Red style.
2	We used more pounds of hops per barrel than any beer we’ve ever made.
3	We used Chinook hops in the brewhouse for bittering and flavor, then dry-hopped this beer with a 50/50 blend of Simcoe and Centennial.
4	As an added bonus, we then dry-hopped it again, just prior to filtering and packaging. That’s right, our popular double dry-hopped process, for the first time ever in one of our bottled beers!

Stone 13th Anniversary Ale pours brilliant deep red with a light tan foam. Up front, the aroma is all piney, resinous and citrus hops. Upon tasting, the hops are still on the front, and they are balanced with the malty, toffee like flavors contributed from the blend of crystal and amber malts used in the brewhouse. The finish is deliciously bitter, with a touch of warmth provided by the 9.5% alcohol. Bitterness comes in at 90+ IBU.

I want some. Now. June 29th cannot come soon enough.

Stone, Mitch Steele, beer, 13th Anniversary, Imperial Red, Double Red, Hopback

TTB Find of the Week: Magic Hat HOWL

Magic Hat is reshuffling their seasonal deck a bit in a few months by moving the uber-tasty Roxy Rolles into their autumn seasonal slot and introducing (well, sort of, as you'll see in a moment) a new beer as their winter seasonal: Howl, a "black as night Winter Lager."

Rumor has it that Howl is simply a slight reworking of the Orlio Organic Black Lager, and judging by the fact that both have a matching ABV of 4.5%, I'd say that's a pretty good guess as to the origins of Howl at this point.

If this info stands as correct then I'll be a happy camper for sure, as the more Schwarzbier's the better in my opinion. It's an oft overlooked style that packs a healthy dose of flavor into a lighter bodied beer, despite it's appearance. Can't wait for this one to hit the shelves.

Magic Hat, Howl, Roxy Rolles, Orlio, organic, Black Lager, schwarzbier, Hopback

Dear Abbey

I picked up a bottle of Abbey Ale from Abita Brewing Company on my way down to Florida with the intent to drink it while on vacation and just never got around to it. So, I purchased the bottle in Maryland, dragged it all the way down to Florida and then trucked it all the way back up here to New Jersey, where I was finally able to crack open the bottle. Let's see how she fares:

The color looks nice: hazy copper with a big (at first) off-white head that quickly settles to a thin lace, leaving only hints of residue on the glass after each sip.

I like what the aroma brings to the table, and that would be a bit of candy, hints of wood and that Belgian yeast vibe. There's definitely a good dose of darker, slightly tart fruit in the mix as well, which in turn brings out a touch of earthiness. This was Belgian for sure, but at the same time it wasn't and it worked nonetheless.

The flavor is a touch tamer than expected from what the aroma gave off, but is still nice. The tart fruit is more subdued here, as are the rest of the characteristics mentioned above. They're all still in the mix, but mellowed out. This helps to bring out the earth flavors a bit more than anything else and brings out some bread flavors as well, which means you might expect a bit of a heftier body, but instead the body ends up falling a bit on the thinner, slightly watery side which was a bit of a disappointment.

The end result here for me is that I enjoyed this one and would certainly drink it again, but would like the flavor to have some more of the pop that the aroma has, and certainly a bit more of a bite or heft to the body. Also of note: this is a very easy beer to drink and it hides it's 8.0% ABV quite nicely so be aware, as while it's not an uber-ridiculous ABV, it's still high enough to kick you in the ass.

It's nice to see Abita bottling more of their bigger beers or at the very least making them more readily available (I had never seen them in these parts until recently...only the regular lineup of Turbodog, Purple Haze, etc along with their seasonals). Let's keep this series going, Abita...

Abbey Ale, Abita, beer, Belgian, Louisiana, Turbodog, Purple Haze, Hopback

Tripel Dubbel Q&A: Saint Somewhere Brewing Company

I decided that I wanted to launch a Q&A feature to the blog and wanted to keep it as simple as possible, but with a bit of a twist. With that said, I came up with and present to you the Tripel Dubbel: two sets of three questions each, with the first set being geared specifically toward the featured brewery and the second remaining constant for each "interview" (I hate to call it that, because it's really not). That said, the constant questions will likely be a work in progress for the first few entries as, while I like them as they stand now and am happy to keep them as is, I am open to suggestions to tweak them.

First up for the Tripel Dubbel is Bob Sylvester of the Saint Somewhere Brewing Company located in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Bob opened Saint Somewhere in 2006 as a small batch brewery that specializes in "traditionally brewed, hand crafted Belgian style ales."


What are your feeling on the current state of the Florida brewing scene?
Growing by leaps and bounds with new breweries opening every few months, it's an exciting time to be a Florida Brewer...finally!

How has the public outside of Florida responded to your beers now that you are available nationally through an agreement with Shelton Brothers?
We've been received very well. Being a niche product I realized that we couldn't survive on Florida alone. We've also been blessed with a lot of great press. We structured the packaging to reflect Florida, but not in an obvious way, which makes us more approachable throughout our market.

Can you provide any insight into the decision to go strictly with 750ml bottles for your products as opposed to the traditional 12 oz. bottles for six pack sales?
Well, that's easy. When we decided to jump into the beer business, my promise to myself was that I would cut no corners. I would never do anything to the product just to save money, or just for marketing purposes. The 750's do make a great presentation, but the larger volume of beer reacts differently than 12 oz. More volume means more yeast in suspension, less oxidation, better fermentation dynamics and so on.

Which of your own beers is your favorite and why?
You're asking me to pick a favorite child. I love them all!

If you could brew a collaborative beer with any other US brewer/brewery, who would it be and why?
No question...Ron Jeffries from Jolly Pumpkin.
(Note: I've followed up with Bob to get some more info as to why he chose Ron and will edit the post accordingly if/when he responds)

What is your proudest moment as a professional brewer?
Seeing Saison Athene chosen for a beer dinner by Gourmet Magazine.


And there you have it...thanks again for being my first victim, Bob!

beer, Bob Sylvester, Florida, Gourmet Magazine, Jolly Pumpkin, Ron Jeffries, Hopback, Saint Somewhere, Saison Athene, Shelton Brothers, Tarpon Springs, Tripel Dubbel

What Would Disney Do?

We are t-minus four days and counting until our family excursion to Walt Disney World begins, and it got me to thinking that the last time I was there (just under a decade ago) the craft beer options were few and far between (I particularly remember Dixie Blackened Voodoo being offered at a few establishments, but that's about it), and understandably so to an extent. It is after all a family vacation destination first and foremost and there are many more important things for the Disney folks to focus on ahead of craft beer.

As I understand it, craft beer availability on Disney property has not changed much in the past ten years, so it got me to thinking: if each Disney-owned resort on site (the Hilton, Swan, Dolphin, for instance, don't count) had one American brewery paired with it by offering their beers as a compliment to that resort's theme, which brewery might match up well with each resort? I came up with what I think is a pretty decent list, but was completely lacking in ideas for a few of the resorts as you'll see below.

Contemporary Resort - Something California based: Sierra Nevada, North Coast, Stone, Anchor, Bear Republic, etc.

Polynesian Resort - The obvious choice here (although the mainland beer is brewed in either Oregon or New Hampshire) would be Kona Brewing Company.

Grand Floridian Resort & Spa - Keep it local with Saint Somewhere or Cigar City Brewing.

Wilderness Lodge - Offerings from a brewery like Alaskan Brewing or Big Sky Brewing Company out of Montana would be spot on here.

Animal Kingdom Lodge - Sprecher Brewing Company. Why a Wisconsin based brewery for an African Safari themed hotel, you ask? Because they brew two African style beers: Mbege and Shakparo.

Yacht Club Resort - Keep the New England vibe rolling with Cisco Brewers.

Beach Club Resort - New England is represented here as well, but it's a bit more laid back at the Beach Club. I'd go with something like the Harpoon Brewery or Buzzards Bay Brewing.

BoardWalk Inn - The early 20th century mid-Atlantic resort theme calls for something like Flying Fish Brewing out of New Jersey or Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales from Delaware.

All-Star Sports Resort - The only all sports themed brewery I could come up with (and it's a pretty good one, at that) was Cooperstown Brewing Company.

Coronado Springs Resort - Santa Fe Brewing Company: A nice little Southwestern brewery to compliment the southwestern theme.

Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa - Let the Saranac beers from the Matt Brewing Company take you back to upstate New York.

Old Key West Resort - Dunedin Brewing Company could work well here, along with the two previously mentioned Florida breweries I tabbed for the Grand Floridian above.

Port Orleans Resort French Quarter - If it's the French Quarter, then it's gotta be Dixie Brewing or the new-ish New Orleans Lager and Ale (NOLA) Brewing Company.

Port Orleans Resort Riverside - Louisiana's biggest brewery, Abita Brewing Company, belongs here for sure.

That leaves these resorts as the last ones standing, as I've got virtually nothing for them so far:

All-Star Music Resort
All-Star Movies Resort
Pop Century Resort
Caribbean Beach Resort

Caribbean Beach is tough because, well, it's theme reaches beyond the United States...although beers from St. John Brewers could work here, as they are brewed under agreement by Maine's Shipyard Brewing Company.

I'm truly lost on the other three, and can't even think of a starting point for them.

I think just about any business, particularly a small craft brewery, would jump at the chance for some exposure from Walt Disney World. Hopefully it is something that they might consider down the road as they run through their lists of minor detail improvements on property.