Shoals Pale Ale
Shoals Pale Ale from Smuttynose is a high hopped Pale Ale. Nicely done. This beer is well balanced and nice and hoppy, for a pale ale, without sacrificing the mellow malt that English style Pale Ales are known for.
This is better than I expected. The slightly bready malts dominate the aroma but not the flavour. The flavour at first is malty and sweet but then has a little kick of hops in the finish. I’m not usually a pale ale fan, but I like this.
After a long day in the farm this is exactly what I needed, a refreshing pale ale.
Drayman’s Porter
Saturday found me at Mass MoCA to celebrate a friends birthday and see the Carolina Chocolate Drops. On tap were two brews from Berkshire Brewing Company, Steel Rail and Drayman’s Porter. I reviewed Steel Rail the otherday so Drayman’s Porter it was.
This is a beer I am well acquainted with. It is one of my tried and true standby’s in this region. Widely available in the Pioneer Valley and the Berkshires.
The Drayman’s Porter is very dry, the nose is full of slightly burnt malt and bitter chocolate. This brew is very malty with a hop finish. Total session beer.
It was like a million degrees in the Hunter Center Saturday night and this was not the beer to be drinking on such a hot night. I recommend this one in early spring or in the fall, not in the middle of a rare heatwave. I seriously don’t know what I am gonna do with all of this global warming, I am not a fan of sweat so this is for the birds.
The Carolina Chocolate Drops were amazing. Modern musicians playing old school music rocks, “If you ask the band, that is what matters most. Yes, banjos and black string musicians first got here on slave ships, but now this is everyone’s music. It’s OK to mix it up and go where the spirit moves.” Everyone just wanted to get up and dance. In stuffy New England I was pleased to see people clapping along and even dancing on stairs! A rare sight up in these parts.
According to their site, “The Carolina Chocolate Drops are the newest and youngest players in a long lineage of Black String Bands. The tradition traces its roots to musicians from Africa who came to the Americas in the holds of slave ships. The anchor instruments were made of gourds with a neck and a variety of string combinations. The same basic gourd banjo, called the ekontone, is played today in Gambia. Alongside the banjo gourd, musicians devised a number of fiddles, American-born relatives of the African ritti or one-stringed fiddle. Eventually, perhaps under the influence or orders of masters who wanted Irish jigs played in their parlors, black fiddle-players picked up the European violin, taking that instrument back to their cabins, adding classical-style fiddle to banjo and percussion; so the blurring of boundaries began.”
Video I took Saturday night:
Midas Touch Golden Elixir
May 27, 2010 by justin · Leave a Comment
I have been wanting to try the Midas Touch Golden Elixir for quite sometime now and I was pleased to find a bottle on the shelves of the Beverage Den in Bennington a few weeks ago.
Much more drinkable than I expected. The aroma is floral, almost perfumy with earth tones throughout. Not too sweet but you can taste the honey for sure. At 9%ABV be careful with this one.
According to the Dogfish Head website; “This recipe is the actual oldest-known fermented beverage in the world! It is an ancient Turkish recipe using the original ingredients from the 2700 year old drinking vessels discovered in the tomb of King Midas. Somewhere between wine & mead; this smooth, sweet, yet dry ale will please the Chardonnay of beer drinker alike.”
Dogfish’s description is spot on with the placing of this brew between mead and wine. It is not as sweet as mead but not as dry as wine. More like, oh I don’t know, beer!
“According to myth, King Midas lived in a rose-garden palace in Macedonia (a region of present day Greece). Midas wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. The god Dionysus granted him his wish but soon enough, Midas backpedalled since food, drink, and his children also turned to gold. So he pleaded to be set free of the wish, which was granted, but as penance Midas had to wash in the river Pactolus (in present day Turkey). Subsequently, Midas was adopted by childless Phrygian King Gordius (origin of the “gordian knot?”).
In history, Midas was as warrior king who ruled Phrygia and conquered neighboring Assyrians. He died a natural death at the age of 60 or 65 around 700 BC.
Scientists say Midas’ unusual drink is important because the same stuff, called “kykeon” in Greek, has been found at Greek archaeological sites dating back 3,100 years ago.” (http://www.logicamente.com/hopheads/midas.html)
John John Dead Guy Ale
Dead Guy Ale is one of the best beers ever brewed. This is Dead Guy aged in whiskey barrels? John John Dead Guy Ale is a maibock that kicks ass. WOW.
John John Dead Guy Ale pours copper and slightly viscus and just beautiful. The head is foamy and full, a good 3 fingers, ever so slightly off-white in colour. Lacing, beautiful.
I am sitting here at 10:30pm in May in New England just sweating. I hate sweat, this is just down-right wrong. Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit cooler?
Anyway, a spring beer is a bit much for such a hot night but it is May, so this maibock is in season, technically. The aroma is hoppy and fruity. The flavour, fruitastic in a hoppy way, it’s a great Maibock, what can I say? I taste berries and appricot together carried in a basket of hops. Just amazing. The whiskey? Well it is there ever so very slightly. What makes this beer different from regular Dead Guy is that it is a bit more mellow, it has lost its edge in the barrels, this is a good thing.
Hardcore IPA
May 26, 2010 by justin · Leave a Comment
The Brew Dog Hardcore Imperial IPA is what an Imperial should be. Sweet, strong, full bodied, IPA. Imperial IPA’s are rather popular right now. Many people have them available and I have reviewed a few on this site. As a hop head I have mixed emotions about the sweet Imperial IPA. I’m not a sweet beer fan. This Double IPA is not too sweet. It is grapefruit and citrus full bodied hop-tastic beer.
The hops here are not so bitter, they are sweet and have a bite at the end. Brew Dog says that it is 150 IBU, but seriously, this is not a bitter beer. Lovely, drink this one again and again
BBC Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale
May 25, 2010 by justin · 3 Comments
Well, went with some co-workers to Water Street Grill after work and the best choice was BBC Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale. I have had the Steel Rail often and it is a favorite in my area. I’m not such a big fan though. I find it too malty and so pale that it is reminiscent of Budweiser and other Mass produced US beers. Sad that a craft brewery’s most popular beer is the one that tastes like a mass produced one.
Ok, so that said, it is a good extra pale ale. It is malty and it is supposed to be. Sweet, smooth and very drinkable.
Struise Mikkeller (Elliot Brew)
May 24, 2010 by justin · Leave a Comment
Dude, totally forgot to blog about the Struise Mikkeller (Elliot Brew). Oops.
Very big head. Golden colour. Nice, more malty than expected out of a double IPA. Sweet, full mouthfeel Not bad, but doesn’t really seem like an Imperial IPA.
Brattleboro Brewers Festival
May 23, 2010 by justin · 3 Comments
What an amazing day! Headed out around 11am to hit up the Brattleboro Brewers Festival in Brattleboro, VT. Stopped off at Top of the Hill Grill, my favorite seasonal place in New England. Had a messy yummy “Shader” (Burger with Taco seasoning topped with with roasted peppers, grilled onions and Ranch dressing), man I miss Brat.
The festival was great. I got to meet Amy and Tim from Here For The Beer. They are so nice and I hope to do a video blog with them sometime soon. Amy and Tim were the brains behind the event, and from what I could tell they were some of the busiest people there as well. There was a major focus on Vermont beer and it was great to see, and taste, VT beers alongside some of the best US and International craft beers (ie Dogfish Head, BrewDog, and Stone) VT breweries came out and shared some of their newer stuff where most of the other breweries had their standard offerings.
The Red Giant from Element Brewing Company in Millers Falls, MA was bolder than I expected, in a very good way. There was some spice to this bready beer finished with a powerhouse punch of fruity hops. Very nice, very drinkable. I need to make a trip over to Millers this summer for sure.
The most talked about beer seemed to be the cask fermented Chinooker’d IPA from Lawson’s Finest Liquids in Warren, VT. This hoppy IPA stresses the pine and citrus flavours and was very tasty. More mellow that I expected it is not necessarily a hop head beer but a fine IPA strong on the hops. Lawson’s only brews in super small batches so you need to head to the Mad River Valley in VT to try one, do look them up if you are up north.
The stand out to me was Hill Farmstead Brewery‘s offerings. This brand new brewery up in Greensboro Bend, VT is so new that they have not even had their grand opening yet, it’s next weekend! Their Abner: Imperial IPA, pictured here and Edward: IPA made most of the IPA’s at the festival seem boring in comparison. I’m not joking, this stuff was the most balanced sweetly hoppy beers I had all day. The Abner Imperial was mellow and strong all at the same time. At 8.2%ABV the alcohol is well hidden. The floral hops stand out mellowed by the sweet malts. The Edward:IPA is a smaller version of Abner and just as amazing. The perfect session beer to me, I could have just stayed here and been happy as a clam. If you can get your hands on these new brews, please do. Rock on!
Also present was Grafton Village Cheese. I am a lucky guy to be able to get Grafton cheeses right down the road. I chatted with Kelly, their West Coast rep and was happy to find out that they are available out there, Whole Paycheck and if you are in San Diego, Henry’s Farmers Market. Kelly encouraged me to try the horseradish cheddar. I’m not a horseradish fan but it was good, she was right.
To top off an amazing beer day, I also got myself a new toy.
Bashah
BrewDog, one of my new fave breweries, and Stone, one of the most amazing breweries (IMHO) join together! To make, Bashah.
First off, they make me laugh. The Scots join the bastards and come up with Bashah,
Next, they make me smile. As I take a read of the bottle Black Belgian Double IPA. Not like I have any illusion that I know what a Black Belgian Double IPA. I get actually everything except the Belgian bit. Was this the yeast they used? If you keep reading, you will keep laughing.
So, take a whiff. You will smell so much here. First off, it is an IPA and smells like one. But then there is a sweetness and chocolate. It is also like sticking your nose in a hop bouquet. The floral bit is strong and good.
Oh, a bit on the appearance. Yes, its black. There is a slight brown tinge to the colour. The off-white tannish head is fairly big from my aggressive pour but dissipates quickly. Beautiful beer.
Now the fun stuff, the flavour. There is more going on here than I think I even understand. The chocolate comes our, a bitter chocolate none of this sweet stuff. But there is a sweetness, caramel? And then there is a hoppy bitterness, and then there is a smoked peat hint too. After tasting that smoked peat full force in BrewDog’s Storm I was quickly able to identify the hint of it here.
This has a medium body and is slightly milky (you know not milk milk but like a milk stout). For 8.6% the alcohol is fairly hidden. It is smooth bitter and sweet.
Wow, what a beer.
Mahar’s 20th Anniversary Ale
May 20, 2010 by justin · 3 Comments
I was supposed to speak at a conference today, that was a bust, so I headed to Mahar’s. I have been hearing about Mahar’s for awhile. They just serve beer, that is it. No TVs, no wine, no bands. Just beer. What a great place.
Their website says it all, “YOU SEE – WE ARE NOT ACTIVELY SEEKING NEW CUSTOMERS (IN FACT, WE SHOULD PROBABLY LOSE A FEW THAT WE ALREADY HAVE) BUT IF YOU ARE 21 YEARS OLD AND ABLE TO ACT IT, WE CAN ALWAYS FIND ROOM FOR ONE MORE. PLEASE REMEMBER – WE HAVE NO JUKE BOX, NO BANDS, NO BEER SPECIALS, LITTLE OR NO FOOD AND NO TOLERANCE FOR BAD ATTITUDE OR BAD MANNERS.”
While they have 6 casks only one was tapped today, from Brroklyn Brewery, so I passed and decided to see what the beer geeks had brewed for their 20th anniversary last year.
Brewed by Middle Ages Brewing Company in Syracuse, NY the Mahar’s 20th Anniversary Ale pours a dark black ruby. Medium tan head malt smooth like pudding.
Not a big aroma. Slightly sweet more tangy and bitter. The flavour is sweet, mild and slightly acidic. Hints of apples and pine. This is only a 3.8%ABV, and reminds me of a dark nut brown. Perfect for a day when I have an hour+ drive home. Medium body with a nice dry finish.
The people at Mahar’s are nice. I chatted with a couple of people around the family size tables that are scattered throughout. When people walk in they head to the back to punch in their member numbers and print out their list. The list tells you what beers u have not had yet. This bar is really only for beer lovers. One guy told me that there is no reason to watch a game when you can play a game or two, of chess. I love this place. Too bad it is an hour away.