Beer

Rivertown Brewery Wins the “Thrilla in Waynesvilla” at Stone House Tavern

February 22, 2013 By Dayton937 1 Comment

Patrick Clark from Mt Carmel vs Jason Roper from Rivertown: Who has the best brewery ?

A packed house Wednesday night at Stone House Tavern saw Rivertown Brewing Company beat Mt. Carmel Brewing Company by majority decision, 3 rounds to 2. TO SEE THE SCORECARD RESULTS CLICK HERE ! The “Thrilla in Waynesvilla” Food Adventure event was a beer tasting, menu pairing and one of a kind evening. Attendees tasted beers from the two breweries and voted for their favorites as Mt. Carmel and Rivertown slugged it out for the championship and bragging rights.

The breweries went head to head, beer to beer for 5 rounds in front of a crowd of over 60 thirsty judges. The excitement for the “Thrilla in Waynesvilla” had been building for weeks and the event sold out in a few days. The throwdown took place at Stone House Tavern in Waynesville. The night was sponsored by Dayton Most Metro.com and The Food Adventure Crew who are originals, so you know this event was going to be out of the ordinary. “Ring Announcer” Dan Apolito, part owner of Stone House Tavern and Archers Tavern, hosted the event as the emcee.

As the bell rang, the anxious crowd drew to a hush as introductions were made. In this corner, Patrick Clark, manager and marketing guru from Cincinnati’s Mt. Carmel Brewery was ready to present his beers! In the opposing corner, Jason Roeper, owner and brewmaster of Rivertown Brewery in Cincinnati. Hungry Jax was the cornergirl/cutman for Mt. Carmel Brewery, while The Big Ragu with sweat towel in hand, tended to Rivertown’s corner. The action promised to be fast and furious with gulps, sips, hops and barley flying in all directions. Each brewer took time to explain to the crowd why they felt their beer was the best. It was a once in a lifetime chance to taste beer brewed hours ago, by the people who made them. But talk can be cheap, and the judges decisions were made on taste.

Special Guest Ring Girl Aja, kicked off each round

Here is a round by round, blow by blow recap of the THRILLA IN WAYNESVILLA:

ROUND 1 – StoneHouse Tavern delivered a crisp and delicious Salmon Ceasar Salad to the judges and the pouring began. Mt Carmel drew first blood when their Springtime Ale beat Rivertown’s Stonehouse Tavern Hefeweizen. The Springtime Ale was rich and malty, and brewed in the tradition of a Scottish Ale. The Stonehouse Hefeweizen was a worthy opponent brewed with Canadian pale malt and Pacific northwest hops. WINNER : MT.CARMEL

ROUND 2 – The menu sampling continued with Stone House Tavern serving up some Cheddar Burger Sliders. These little delights were topped with bacon, and were a perfect lead-in to the beer tasting. Mt. Carmel took a commanding lead and landed a big blow when their Amber Ale grabbed a victory over Rivertown’s Hop Bomber Pale Ale. The winning brew was deep in color with a smooth, complex flavor. Rivertown’s beer, named after a b-24 bomber had a malty flavor, but fell short in a close vote. WINNER: MT. CARMEL

ROUND 3 – Sweet BBQ Boneless Wings were the food pairing this round from Stone House Tavern’s menu. The tangy bites were served with ranch dipping sauce and satisfied everyone’s alert taste buds. Rivertown scored its first victory of the night in round 3, when the caramel tasting, Munich style, Dunkel Lager won the judges vote. Mt. Carmel’s Nut Brown Ale showed strong promise with hazelnut and maple flavors, but was edged out by the Dunkel. WINNER: RIVERTOWN

ROUND 4 – This round began with one of our favorites, the Blackened Fish Tacos from Stone House Tavern. Flour tortillas, filled with perfectly baked tilapia, cilantro, corn salsa and a spicy baja sauce were paired with 2 IPA’s in this round. Rivertown’s Hop Baron Double Down IPA won the round and evened things up. This impressive beer takes 2 hours to brew and uses four types of hops. It narrowly defeated Mt. Carmel’s India Pale Ale. Mt. Carmel’s entry offered a spicy, pine hop aroma with a beautiful orange color. WINNER: RIVERTOWN

The event featured 5 rounds of beer face-offs paired with 5 menu items like these blackened fish tacos

ROUND 5 – Unbeknownst to the crowd, the score was tied leading into the final round of this throwdown. Each brewing company had won 2 rounds, and the “Thrilla in Waynesvilla” was coming down to the wire! The final menu sampling was a moist, delicious Chocolate Brownie, topped with Raspberry Sauce. It was a perfect complement to the final beers of the night. Mt Carmel offered their Stout beer. It had a slight fruit aroma, with hints of coffee and the color was pitch black. It was toppled, however by Rivertown’s Roebling beer. This beer, brewed with vanilla beans and Peruvian coffee, is named for the Roebling Bridge that connects Cincinnati to Covington, KY. Roebling won the final round for Rivertown thereby securing a victory. WINNER: RIVERTOWN

FINAL DECISION: THE WINNER OF “THE THRILLA IN WAYNESVILLA” by majority decision, is RIVERTOWN BREWING COMPANY !!

When the beer brawl ended, Jason Roeper of Rivertown Brewing Company held the championship belt high above his head. It was a tough battle, and Patrick Clark of Mt. Carmel Brewing Company, was gracious in defeat. The competitors posed for post-fight pictures, and shook hands with the crowd. It was a great night with a unique opportunity to hear from some experts who know their craft. It was also a reminder to buy local and see what Ohio has to offer.

If you missed this event, you missed a lot. The “Thrilla in Waynesvilla” was a huge success. Each attendee received souvenir pint glasses from both Mt Carmel and from Rivertown Brewery. Door prizes included gift certificates to Archer’s Tavern, Olive and Stone House Tavern. Other giveaways were 6 packs of Rivertown Beer, 6 packs of Mt Carmel Beer, t-shirts and hats.

The final round included Rivertown’s Roebling and Mt Carmel’s Stout paired with dessert

The brew battle was heated, and a great time was had by all. Great local beer and delicious menu samples capped a wonderful, SOLD OUT Food Adventure! Again, congratulations to Jason Roeper, owner and brewmaster of Rivertown Brewery. Special thanks to Patrick Clark from Mt. Carmel Brewery, who presented some fantastic beers in the main event. Dan Apolito and Mike Fullenkamp of Stone House Tavern deserve special recognition for hosting the epic showdown with their stellar staff. Even Lisa Grigsby with Dayton Dining was in attendance! We also want to give a shout out to Aja Delaney, our lovely ring girl.

The Big Ragu would like to thank the attendees who judged the contest. We appreciate all of the positive feedback and comments. Food Adventures has been setting the trends for 5 years now, so stay tuned to DaytonMostMetro.com for more original Food Adventures like this in the future. As for the “Thrilla in Waynesvilla,” this tremendous event was a knockout !!

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Did you attend the event? Are you a beer connoisseur? Tell us your thoughts on who has the better brews, Mt. Carmel or Rivertown ?? PLEASE COMMENT BELOW !

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Rivertown Edges Mt. Carmel Brewery in the “Thrilla in Waynesvilla”

February 21, 2013 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Jason Roeper, Owner of Rivertown Brewery, Celebrates his Victory

A packed house Wednesday night at Stone House Tavern in Waynesville saw Rivertown Brewery beat Mt. Carmel Brewery by majority decision, 3 rounds to 2. The “Thrilla in Waynesvilla” Food Adventure event was a beer tasting, menu pairing and one of a kind event. Attendees tasted beers and voted for their favorites as Mt. Carmel and Rivertown slugged it out for the championship and bragging rights. The brew battle was heated, and a great time was had by all. Congratulations to Jason Roeper, owner and brewmaster of Rivertown Brewery. Special thanks to Patrick Clark from Mt. Carmel brewery, who presented some fantastic beers in the throwdown. Dan Apolito and Mike Fullenkamp of Stone House Tavern hosted the epic showdown with their stellar staff. Special shout out to Aja Delaney, our lovely ring girl. Great local beer and delicious menu samples capped a wonderful, SOLD OUT Food Adventure! Food Adventures will have the full story and many more photos in a Friday feature on DaytonMostMetro.com ! STAY TUNED TOMORROW FOR THE BIG STORY AND MORE DETAILS !

Follow the best food action in Dayton on Food Adventures’ Twiter Account !

Sipping your Chocolate

February 8, 2013 By Brian Petro Leave a Comment

Valentine’s Day is a day of hearts, flowers, wines, romance, and boxes and boxes of chocolates. Chocolates are among the most popular gifts to give on Valentine’s Day, making local favorites like Esther Price, Winans and Signature Confections very happy. We like our chocolates as truffles, bars, bons bons, dips, and any number of creative ways. The people that discovered chocolate, the early Mayans and Aztecs, would be completely baffled by how we use chocolate. Xocolatl, or “bitter water” in Nahuatl (Aztec), was fermented and drank, usually by the upper classes. They would also thicken up the drink on occasion with corn and chilies, turning it into porridge. The Spanish were the first to add milk and sugar to it to sweeten it and turn it into the chocolate that we know and love. They were still drinking it until the 17^th century, when the chocolate candy craze hit Paris. For a thousand years, chocolate was a beverage. And in this modern era of craft beers, flavored spirits, and experimentation, you can make it a drink for your Valentine’s Day celebration.

WINE

Pairing wine and chocolate is something that people have built whole festivals around. Godiva has even wisely added a page to their website to help you start off, and give you tips on what to look for when you pair it yourself. Putting the two together into one drink is something that is fairly new to the drinking scene. ChocoVine came out of the gate strong in 2009 with high ratings, and it has maintained them since. The people I know that have tried it have had nothing but good things to say about this blend of red wine (they use Cabernet grapes) and Dutch chocolate. In the same category is ChocolatRouge, another blend of chocolate and red wine, this time using California red wines. These are fairly inexpensive bottles, and their richness great to use as a dessert or treat. Their websites also suggest you can use them in cocktails.

BEER

The craft beer movement has encouraged experimentation with a full range of flavors, from savory to sweet, fruity to earthy. The chocolate end of the spectrum is full with delicious porters and stouts, using the already deep flavor of a well-roasted malt to enhance the chocolate added to the brew. The first one, and still one of the better ones, is Young’s Double Chocolate Stout. Southern Tier makes and utterly delightful stout, Choklat, that is a must taste for the chocolate lover. Stouts are a great winter warmer, which has the Brooklyn Brewing company bringing out their Black Chocolate Stout at this time of year. One of the richer chocolate beers is Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout, which has a very strong and smooth chocolate taste. In 2001 Rouge Ales released their Chocolate Stout around Valentine’s Day and have not looked back. They followed up this award winning beer with a Double Chocolate Stout, which ramped up the chocolate flavor to satisfy the sweetest tooth. This is a very small sampling of some amazing chocolate beers in the area.

LIQUOR

For a very long time, if you wanted to add chocolate to a cocktail, you were reaching for the crème de cacao. It comes in two varieties, white and dark, and is base liquor infused with chocolate, sometimes a hint of vanilla. It is not something that is the star of the show in a cocktail, more of a supporting actor to the other flavor that is going on. It was not until the explosion of the craft cocktail movement that the options for how to add that chocolate flavor grew.

Godiva Chocolate Liqueur is the most popular of the new wave of chocolate liqueurs. Creamy and thick, it is more reminiscent of Irish cream and holds a great deal of flavor. It comes in White Chocolate and Original Chocolate, depending on what you are in the mood for. One (very appropriate) cocktail you can make with the liqueur:

Aphrodisiac

2 oz. vodka (chocolate, if you prefer)
1 oz. espresso
1 oz. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz. coffee liqueur

Chill a martini glass. Pour all of the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice, and shake it until it is foamy. Strain the ingredients into the chilled cocktail glass. You can add chocolate syrup inside of the glass as a decorative element, or rim the glass with cocoa powder.

While you are looking for good chocolate liquor to use, you may want to take a look in the vodka aisle. Since Absolut kicked off the flavored vodka party in 1986, there has been an explosion of flavored vodka. That explosion had not fully made it to chocolate, as there are very few pure chocolate vodkas on the market. Pinnacle has a Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Whip Cream flavors, but they are not true chocolate. For true chocolate, you have three options. If you are someone who is very particular about your vodka and the environment it comes from, 360 offers a Double Chocolate flavor. Three Olives makes some innovative flavors, but kept it simple and sweet for their chocolate vodka. Three Olives will also be the one that is easiest to find. It is a great brand. Van Gogh, while their Rich Dark Chocolate vodka has some great flavors and a darker color, it is harder to find in the stores. It is also the most expensive of the three. That chocolate martini you are making will benefit from any of these fine vodka selections, and either kick off or end the night in fine fashion.

Boxes of sweets are not the only way to being chocolate into the holiday. Beer, wine and cocktail lovers can also drink in some chocolaty goodness to celebrate being with a loved one. Belmont Party Supply can help you select a few beers to enjoy the evening with, and Arrow Wine has the full selection of chocolate infused liquors mentioned. They also have Piece of Cake’s Chocolate Cake liqueur, and chocolate infused whip cream for a garnish to your drinks. If you are looking to try chocolate in the way the ancient Mayans and Aztecs enjoyed it, Dogfish Head has it taken care of. Using flavors taken from samples discovered in 1200 year old pottery, Theobroma has a unique chocolate and chili flavor to it. It is very difficult to find, but if you can, it is a treat. There are plenty of great Valentine’s Day festivities for you to enjoy in the Dayton area, and a wide variety of ways to get your chocolate fix at any of them. Enjoy the day…and your chocolate!

Stubbie’s in Vandalia: Beer, Bands and Bites + $20 gift Certificate CONTEST

January 17, 2013 By Dayton937 27 Comments

Try the Fajita Bites at Stubbies

Our Food Adventures Crew is normally talking about restaurant menus. In this case, we are talking about a popular Ohio band called “The Menus” who will be performing on Jan 25th at Stubbies Bar . Located at 722 W. National Road in Vandalia, Stubbie’s is a popular spot to see local bands and cut loose with some libations. The venue is set up perfectly for live music, seating 200 people with additional standing room for 100 more. The open atmosphere is casual and has a sports bar feel to it as well. Who wouldn’t love to “rock out” with some of Dayton’s finest bands while grabbing some good bar food?

Stubbies has a small menu, with some highlights. We have some Food Adventure suggestions to help you “eat to the beat.”
Our first recommendation is one of the unique appetizers offered by Stubbies called Fajita Bites. These deep fried treats are essentially a small egg roll type wrapper filled with steak, onions, green peppers and gooey cheese. Think of them as a kicked up version of pizza rolls. They are so good, you will be craving more. Tasting somewhat like a cross between a cheeseteak and a steak fajita, these spicy bites were easily our favorite appetizer at Stubbies. They are served with dipping sauces of cream cheese and salsa. We found the cream cheese dip to be the perfect accompaniment.

Pepperoni Thin Crust Pizza

Wings are also a favorite at Stubbies. Served hot, mild or BBQ, the wings are cooked just right. For a zesty tang with just a little sting, we suggest the hot flavored wings. Place your order and relax. With many TV’s around the bar and dining area, it can be the perfect place to grab some wings while watching your favorite sporting events.

Got a hungry group at your table? Stubbies offers thin crust pizza. Baked in a stone oven to ensure a crunchy crust, the pie may be topped with any or all of these ingredients: pepperoni, onions, sausage, mushroom, green peppers, banana peppers. Not a bad pairing with a pitcher of beer. Stubbies also offers chicken tenders, nachos, and your typical fried appetizers.

The menu is an added benefit, but the big attraction here is great live music and drink specials. Some of the drink specials include Imports for $2.25 on Wednesdays, $4 pitchers on Thursdays and $4 bombs on Sundays.

The staff is super-friendly. We especially enjoyed visiting with part owner Dennis Dorko who made us feel right at home. He told us that Stubbies is part of an upcoming charity event called the “Bud Light Barstool Open” on Saturday Feb 23rd which benefits United Rehabilitation services of Dayton. You can sign up for the event at Stubbies. The Bud Light Barstool Open is a fun indoor, miniature golf outing through 9 bars in the North Dayton area. Teams of four golfers travel from bar to bar completing a total of 9 holes to raise money for children & adults with disabilities. For 14 years Stubbies has helped sponsor this event, and owners Dennis Dorko and Steve Skinner will continue to support this great cause.

Stubbies in Vandalia on 722 W. National Rd

Make sure you put Stubbies on your concert radar and check out some of the area’s best live bands. Don’t miss the hugely popular group, “The Menus,” on Friday Night Jan 25th. The stage setup, comfortable seating, full service bar and food offered, make Stubbies a perfect place to see this gig with some friends. Want to get your rock fix even sooner? Visit Stubbies this Saturday for the band Ithika and grab some fajita bites. Other upcoming bands include: Detrimental on Jan. 26, DJ Ryan on Feb. 1, Bad Mojo on Feb. 2, DC Connection on Feb. 8 and Loudhouse on Feb. 9.

Dont forget to “like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE !

WANT TO WIN A $20 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO STUBBIES ?? Use the entry form below and comment below on this article to enter and tell us why you should win or why you love Stubbies. A winner will be chosen at random on Monday!

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2nd Annual MSD Brew Ha-Ha – Drink beer at school!

January 12, 2013 By Max Spang Leave a Comment

Remember when you were in grade school and the teacher would get all mad at you for cracking open a delicious IPA in the middle of class? And you’re all like “You don’t understand. This was only bottled 5 days ago!”. I can’t be the only one, can I? Well now is your chance to get back at your teacher and support the Montessori School of Dayton at the same time. The 2nd Annual MSD Brew Ha-Ha is happening on January 26, and this year is going to be great. Take that, Mrs. Virginia!

All joking aside, this is not an event that you’ll want to miss. There will be some beers available that are tough to find anywhere else – trust me when I say that. There will also be a bunch of your favorite beers from all of those Midwest breweries that make people on the coasts jealous.

Get your tickets today!

Join the Montessori School of Dayton for our 2nd annual Brew Ha-Ha craft beer event. It will be a great time to make a few new friends, enjoy a few laughs, taste a few amazing craft beers (and a few great soft drinks as well!) and enjoy some tasty food.

The Brew Ha-Ha (adults only) takes place January 26th from 6-10 pm. Tickets are $30 per person in advance and $35 the night of the event. Attendees receive 10 drink tickets along with a commemorative tasting pint glass. Additional tickets can be purchased at the door for $1 each. Also be sure to purchase raffle tickets to win prizes the night of the event. Proceeds benefit the MSD Capital Improvement fund for the purchase of a new gymnasium floor.

Like our first year, we will concentrate on Midwest craft breweries and offer an opportunity to learn about craft brewing and the wide variety of beer types and brewing styles. Come sample some of the midwest’s finest craft breweries — Brew Kettle, Rivertown, Hoppin’ Frog, Bell’s, New Holland, Troegs, Dark Horse, Founders, Two Brothers, Jolly Pumpkin and more!

We will also be offering on-site beer sales after the event on any opened cases. This will be a fun way to build your ideal six pack of craft beers from the evening.

Please feel free to invite your friends and families to join. Space is limited so get your tickets early!

So You Want to Bar Tend…

December 2, 2012 By Brian Petro 1 Comment

Perhaps you will be making many of these…

Bartending has a fog of grandeur around it. We lean against the bar polishing glasses, we are in touch with deeper wisdom than many mortals, and we know the ins and outs of every drink known to man. In the middle of the chaotic bar scene you are used to, we are the men and women who navigate through it all with ease and confidence, remembering drink orders of most of the patrons. That is why we always get one or two numbers a night from the people in the bar. I hear more than once or twice a week how nice it must be to be a bartender, and how they would love to do what I do.

Bartending is a tough gig. The hours are long, there is quite a bit of very physical work involved (kegs and cases of beer are incredibly heavy), and the pay is always uncertain. Being on top of your game means doing what people in other professions do: reading the trades and books, searching the internet for the edges of the trends, and trying to stay one step ahead of what your customers might be demanding. You get to deal with very drunk people, sometimes demanding people, and of course cleaning up after a great party every night.

There are good and bad things about every job. The first time I went behind the bar, I knew it was something I was going to love doing. It was comfortable, like a well worn t-shirt. It is not something for everyone. If you are looking to eventually work your way into becoming a bartender, here are a few things you want to consider:

Pick your spot. It is interesting to note that not all places offer the same sort of bartending. Jokers and the Funny Bone work on the premise of speed. We had a limited amount of time, and we wanted to make the best cocktails at the fastest pace. That leaves many cocktails with muddling out. Or making cocktails with fresh squeezed ingredients. However, there are places around town where they can take their time to squeeze oranges for each drink, and delicately muddle the mint in a mojito. They may even make their own liquor infusions. On the other end, some bartending jobs are little more than pulling draughts, pouring shots, and opening cans. Look for the type of bartending you want to do, and try to get in a place that offers it.
Prepare for a long apprenticeship. I started bartending at Jokers Comedy Café in 2005. I started working at Jokers in 2002. I do not know of any bartenders that walked in and right away got the job unless they had some experience. And not classroom experience; real world behind-the-bar experience. To become a bartender, you are going to have to take some time lurking in the shadows at the place you want to bartend at. Maybe as a bar back. Maybe as a server. Just get in somehow, and let the manager know you want to be a bartender. It may be a long time, but you might actually get back there. Then there will be a period of working the Tuesday dinner shifts, the Sunday brunch shifts, or other less than desirable bartending periods. Once make it through all of this, it makes it easier to get bartending jobs at other places.
Everyday you’re hustling. There is a hierarchy in the serving industry, and bartenders are on the top of it. There are usually very few of them compared to other positions in the restaurant, and they are picked from the best servers and workers. They are given the most autonomy out of any position, and it is not by shirking shifts and needing to be prodded to do their job at every turn. Why? They are in charge of one of the most precious commodities a bar has: the liquor. The management has to trust you with such a vital and expensive part of their business. You have to show them that you are that person they can trust.
Study the menu. See the type of drinks they offer, and the types of drinks people are ordering. I have made hundreds, possibly thousands, of Mai Tais and Blue Kazoos (.75 oz. blue curacao, .75 oz. Bacardi 151 rum, and lemon lime soda, served in a highball glass). I could count the number of Rob Roys or Rusty Nails I have made on my fingers. This gives you a chance to start learning the popular drinks and how to make them.
…or opening quite a few of these.
Learn your trade. What is the difference between cognac and brandy? What craft beers are starting to become popular? Who is Jerry Thomas? Or Gary Regan? These are things you want to start learning as you are waiting to become a bartender. Go to tastings like the Century has for whiskey, the Trolley Stop has for beer, and various places around the area have for wine. Read books. Check out magazines. Surf the web. Absorb everything you can, and use it. Your customers will thank you for it. Hopefully with money.
Weekends? Holidays? Most people see weekends and holidays as a time to relax and spend time with family and friends. While they are winding down, you have to be winding up. Weekends are when you make your money. Friday and Saturday night are the prime shifts, when all the real money making occurs. Though, you have probably learned all this through the apprenticeship phase. Or just by looking around when you are out on Friday and Saturday while waiting for a table. It could cause some friction with family and friends when you tell them you really cannot make it for the big Saturday graduation party because you have to, you know, pay rent. It becomes a trade off you have to be willing to accept.
Love thy customer. The other side of your bar has people on it. They are not the enemy, they are not walking ATMs, they are not trying to make you have a bad night. They just want a drink, even if that drink is something that makes your bartender soul cringe (chocolate martini with Tanquery, anyone?). They want to celebrate their birthday, have fun on their date, or commiserate a bad day with friends. Your rough night behind the bar, broken glass in the ice, or bartender that did not show up is not their concern. Always smile. Chat with them, ask them about their day, and enjoy their company. Being a great bartender is more than just knowing how to make a good cocktail; it is knowing how to help a few hundred people a night a really good time.

I am a huge fan of working behind the bar, making cocktails for people, and seeing all of them enjoying their night. When I do complain about the bad tipper or the overly needy customer, I remember that they are in the minority, and ninety five percent of the people I deal with are incredible, fun, and are looking to enjoy their night. If after reading all of this, you still are looking to bet back there and make the best damn drinks in Dayton, good luck. I hope you make it. If anyone else has some tips, or wants to share their story about getting into bartending, we would love to hear it. Cheers!

Stone Enjoy By 11/09/12 IPA – The Countdown to Irrelevancy

October 11, 2012 By Max Spang Leave a Comment

This beer has gotta be enjoyed fresh! I know because the bottle told me so. So fresh, in fact, that this very review is going to be irrelevant in a matter of weeks. Not only does the freshness factor come into play, but the fact that this beer has a very limited distribution (this batch only made it to Ohio and Colorado in small numbers) makes this review nearly pointless. However, as the ever-vigilant beer drinker that I am, I figure why the heck not? I mean come on, this beer was only bottled six days ago! You can’t get much fresher than that unless you feel like swimming around in fermenters… which really doesn’t sound like that bad of an idea now that I mention it…

Anyhow, this beer is 9.4% alcohol by volume and was designed to be consumed FRESH. Like, ridiculously fresh (did I mention it was only bottled six days ago?). They threw a bunch of hops in late into the boil (a technique called “hop bursting”) which contributes more hop flavor and aroma rather than bitterness. Check out more information about this beer here. To you Daytonians, this beer has pretty much sold out at most stores already (and thus more irrelevancy), but if you see it on the shelf at your favorite bottle shop then by all means pick it up. Let’s get to reviewin’.

APPEARANCE

This is what those in the advertising business call “Sex Appeal”. This beer just looks good. Crystal clear, yellow-orange-amber in color, resting under a slightly off-white head… Yeah, this is the kind of beer that makes mouths water. I love the look of a good IPA, and this beer has got that look. If this beer was a female, I would try my best to “holla”. If this beer was a painting in an art gallery, I would stare at it intensely and occasionally nod my head so everyone around me knew how much I knew about art or whatever. If this beer was a Big Mac, it would be the one in the picture and not the one you get when you order it. If this beer was a… Ok, you get my point.

SMELL

There are definitely some New Zealand hops in the nose. Notes of grapes, flowers, mango, citrus, earthiness, and a smidge of everyone’s favorite “cat pee” fill my nostrils. There is a deep, dank smell that reminds me of a quaint but “lived-in” basement which adds a bit of charm without being unpleasant. There’s even a bit of hop spice aroma to even things out. There is a good amount of sweet malt, but there’s no mistaking that this beer is all about the hops.

TASTE

Follows the nose very closely. Once again, the first thing I notice is the deep, dank, resiny hop character. There is a bit more pine on the tongue than on the nose, which at first I feared would be the dominating character. As I sip, however, more of the citrus and tropical fruit comes out. The New Zealand hops make another appearance and bring some earthy grape notes with them. As far as bitterness goes, this beer is on the medium side. Sure, it’s bitter, but it’s not a tongue splitter (I rhymed!). There is almost no alcohol flavor whatsoever. This beer has a ridiculous amount of hop character, and there is a slight muddling of flavors which is a tad disappointing. Overall, this beer is pretty tasty but nothing I’ll be craving.

MOUTHFEEL

The mouthfeel really is one of the highlights of this beer. The carbonation and body are both medium, and considering the ABV this beer is not a struggle to drink. The beer coats the mouth with hop resin – the kind that kind of makes you smack your tongue for no explicable reason.

OVERALL

You may have noticed that a word I didn’t use in this review was “bright”. Many IPAs have a bright, refreshing crispness that fellas like me go nuts over. This beer, however, has a somewhat muddled flavor that makes me feel like it’s more of an English IPA than an American IPA, which is crazy talk considering all the American hop flavors. That’s not to say this beer is bad, because it’s not at all! It’s really an excellently balanced IPA, and it drinks more like 6% than 9.4% ABV. That being said, I’m drinking this beer as fresh as possible and it still has a layer of “meh”. Is it worth buying? Yes, absolutely! Is it the IPA to end all IPAs? Not this time. Don’t feel too bad if you missed out on this one (or if you drank it on 11.10.12 or something).

Cheers!

SCORE: ★★★ 3/5

Gourd-geous Beers: Pumpkin Brews

September 20, 2012 By Max Spang Leave a Comment

I love Autumn. I think most people from this part of the country really appreciate this part of the year. I mean, what’s not to love? Everything turns beautiful, the air smells better, you get to wear comfortable clothes combinations (sweatshirt and shorts, anyone?), and perhaps most importantly you get to drink all the amazing seasonal beers that hit the shelves. One of the most flavorful, intriguing, and often misunderstood styles that pops up this time of year is the Pumpkin Ale. To some, the idea of a pumpkin-flavored beer is a complete turn off. To others (like me), we mark our calendars for pumpkin beer season.

A Brief History

At first, it may sound like a pretty odd concept; of all the ingredients out there, why are so many beers made with pumpkin? Believe it or not, pumpkin in beer in America has a very long history. Back in “the day”, it was hard to find malted barley which is generally the most common grain used in today’s beer. Pumpkin, on the other hand, was in abundance and pretty easy to grow. They found out that they could swap out a lot of the barley with things like pumpkin, molasses, sweet potatoes, and squash to produce the sugars needed to make beer. Let’s face it, beers made with crazy ingredients is better than no beer at all – especially considering beer was actually safer to drink than the water at the time. These beers were designed to extract sugar (and therefore alcohol) from pumpkin rather than flavor, so as time went on and malted barley was easier to come by pumpkin was used less and less. Today’s pumpkin beers bear very little resemblance to the more rustic colonial pumpkin beers in that they focus more on pumpkin pie and spice flavors. Many of today’s pumpkin ales are described as “pumpkin pie in a glass”. Mmmm, thirsty yet?

Commercial Examples

There’s a lot of pumpkin beers out there right now. In fact, it seems like every craft brewer out there has a seasonal pumpkin ale nowadays. To be perfectly frank, most pumpkin beers are somewhere between “blech” and “meh”, so how do you know a good one from a bad one? Here’s a few recommendations I have for a starting point to the world of pumpkin beers:

Southern Tier – Pumking

Very few beers have a reputation like Pumking. Some love it, some hate it. It is, however, one of the top rated pumpkin beers according to both Beer Advocate and Rate Beer. This beer is a unique experience from the moment you pop off the cap as it fills the room with the aroma of freshly baked pumpkin pie. The taste is the closest thing you will find outside of NASA to being able to drink pumpkin pie – right down to the crust and whipped cream topping. It’s completely over-the-top and unapologetic in it’s huge flavor. Keep an open mind when trying this beer (don’t think beer, think pumpkin pie), and you will be rewarded with a truly unique experience. At 8.6% ABV, you might want to split this beer with two or three friends. Fans of this beer, keep your eyes peeled for the Oak Aged version.

Rivertown Brewing – Pumpkin Ale

This beer only clocks in at 5% ABV, but it feels like a big dessert beer. The thing that separates this beer from other pumpkin ales is the huge amount of sweet vanilla, molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg flavors and aromas. Even with all of this complexity, this beer drinks very easily. Plus, it’s brewed right here in Ohio!

Dogfish Head – Punkin’

This beer may be one of the most popular pumpkin ales on the market, and for good reason. While other pumpkin beers are sometimes on the extreme side of things, Punkin’ actually tastes like beer. A full-bodied beer with a lot of spice character, but beer nonetheless. Nutmeg and brown sugar shine through, yet the beer is remarkably far from being too sweet.

The brewery recommends pairing this beer with turkey, roasted duck, lamb, stuffing, dessert dumplings, and sharp cheddar – in other words, grab a 4-pack while you can (it sells out fast!) and save it until Thanksgiving. You’ll be rewarded with a beer that drinks well during dinner and dessert.

The Bruery – Autumn Maple

Ok, so this beer isn’t technically a pumpkin beer since the brewery uses yams instead of pumpkin, but bear with me here! This beer is extremely complex, and at 10.5% it’s the biggest beer in this list. This beer is great for those who enjoy Belgian-style ales. The beer has notes of dark fruits, spices, buttered yams, pecans, and oddly enough pumpkin! The beer features cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, molasses, and maple syrup. The Belgian yeast strain adds notes of clove and coriander (neither of which are actually in the beer). A word of caution – this beer almost demands to be shared. Even as tasty as it is, it can be a daunting challenge to finish a bottle to yourself.

Sam Adams – Fat Jack

This is the first year that Fat Jack has been released, and I would be more than happy to see this beer come around every year. Perhaps the least “pumpkiny” beer on this list, Fat Jack showcases deep flavors of roasty malt, brown sugar, caramel, light cinnamon and nutmeg, noble hops, and just a hint of smoke. This one is definitely on the sweet side of things, but it would also be a fine accompaniment to savory fall dishes like buttery squash. The large format bottle and higher alcohol content (8.6% ABV) make this beer a great candidate for sharing.

So there you have it, pumpkin beers! Pumpkin brews sort of have a cult following among beer geeks. They aren’t for everyone, but if you have never had a pumpkin beer then give them a shot. Remember, it’s not important that you like every beer you try. What’s most important is the willingness to try new beers.

Wild Blackberry Beer – Rivertown Ojos Negros

September 9, 2012 By Max Spang Leave a Comment

Yesterday was apparently Sour Beer Day, so I decided to get all reviewy with a sour that’s been sitting in my fridge for a few weeks. Rivertown‘s Ojos Negros is an American Wilde Ale aged with Blackberries in oak wine barrels. This beer is brewed a stone’s throw away in Cincinnati.

From their website:

AVAILABLE IN 750ML BOTTLE ONLY, RELEASED ONCE YEARLY IN JULY. A WILD FERMENTED BREW AGED IN OAK WINE BARRELS WITH OVER 140 POUNDS OF WHOLE BLACKBERRIES FOR ONE YEAR. 6.3% ABV, 8 SRM, 6 IBU

APPEARANCE

The beer pours a surprisingly clear reddish-brown color with absolutely zero head. There isn’t a lot of visible “bubbliness”, which is somewhat surprising. It actually looks very much like a slightly carbonated wine. It definitely gained a lot of color from the blackberries, let’s find out if it gained any aroma/flavor from them. [Read more…] about Wild Blackberry Beer – Rivertown Ojos Negros

Food Adventures Meets the Gem City Rollergirls

August 25, 2012 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

The Action was Fast and Furious !

Entering the Orbit Fun Center in Huber Heights, chants could be heard on the other side of the ticket booth wall. Walking into the arena, The Big Ragu and the Food Adventures Crew thought “what the hell have we gotten into?” The answer: The Gem City Rollergirls! Nothing is more “Dayton” than these hometown roller derby divas! Even though we had arrived early, the roller girls were already stretching out while their competitors, the Youngstown Little Steel, were skating laps warming up.

Sweaty concession stand hot dogs !

We made our way past the droves of fans and said hello to some of our rollergirl friends like “Racey Rocker,” “Outer Spacey,” “Manson’s Maiden” and “Cozza Frenzy.” We then walked past the crowd to the concession stand. After all, we are foodies in our forties. We grabbed a hot dog, some drinks, and a slice of pizza from the friendly Orbit Fun Center staff. we talked to some hardcore fans and then made our way to the seating area.

The Filling Station on Linden Ave: Gem City Roller Girl’s “Home” Bar

There were fans encircling the entire skating rink. Some held signs, some cheered on their favorites, others just took it all in. We even sat next to a bachelor party! Then, the lights dimmed and introductions began. We recognized names like “Supersonic,” Flirtini Tease”, “Punky Rooster” and “Demolition Curvy.” The action began shortly after introductions and we learned this game requires a lot of skill and talent. The match was full of speed and quick moves. The match also had it’s share of bumps and bruises. There were elbows, hip checks, blockers, jammers and the action was fast and furious. The Big Ragu and Food Adventure Crew had a blast as we watched the Gem City Roller Girls win their hard fought match! The event benefited “Luv-a-Bulls” which is a Pitbull-Bulldog-Mastiff rescue organization. What a great way to support a great charity!

After the match, the local superstars invited us to an after party, so of course we turned it into a full blown Food Adventure!!

Raspberry Walnut Salad at the Filling Station

The Gem City Roller Girls’ “home bar” is The Filling Station on Linden Ave. This eatery is known for it’s bar, food and game room. There were some great drink specials at The Filling Station, including $9 buckets of beer. On the awning outside, we noticed print that read “unforgettable wings.” We decided to try the Habenero BBQ wings, southwestern egg rolls and a raspberry walnut salad. The food was great, and the beers were cold! It was a perfect end to our action-packed evening. We had a blast pairing our Food Adventures with another Dayton Original, the Gem City Roller Girls. The Big Ragu is definitely a fan who highly recommends this experience !!

Want to experience Dayton’s own Gem City Roller Girls? The next match is at the Orbit Fun Center in Huber Heights on September 8th vs. Heart of Appalachia (Charleston, WV).

Click through the photos below to check out the rollergirls and some great photos from the Filling Station.

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Hooray Beer!

August 17, 2012 By Brian Petro 1 Comment

Dayton Beer Week 2012! August 18th - 24th! Our Festivus!

Next Saturday, August 25th, Dayton will mark the 14^th time AleFest has been celebrated, and it has been picking up steam every year. Three hundred and fifty breweries are participating in the event taking place at Carillon Historical Park. It is the main event in an escalating series of beer celebrations around town that makes up Dayton Beer Week, August 18^th – 24^th. This is the week that every craft beer aficionado should be going out and looking to expand their palate. It would be harder for you this week to find a place that is NOT offering some sort of beer event.

There are going to be beer tastings, dinners, tappings, specials, and education all week long in the widest variety of venues. Places better known for wine or other spirits will be getting into the act, like the Century Bar, Thai 9, A Taste of Wine, Buckin’ Donkey BBQ, and Bruning’s Wine Shop. Beer dinners will be offered all around town to help improve your food and beer pairings at Rue Dumaine, Jay’s Seafood Restaurant, Dorothy Lane Market, Spinoza’s Pizza & Salads, Meadowlark, The Melting Pot, and Jimmie’s Ladder 11. Representatives from Samuel Adams, Stone Brewing Company, Duvel USA, Brewkettle, New Holland, Magic Hat, 21st Amendment, Goose Island, Sierra Nevada Brewery, and Unibroue will be in town to talk about their beers as well as show off some of their new products. All of the dates and times for these tastings are available on our event calendar under beer.

The festivities for the week officially begin on Sunday evening, August 19^th, with the Beer Pride Parade, starting at the Dublin Pub. Line up through the Oregon District and show your craft beer pride! The over 800 owners of the new Fifth Street Brewpub Co-op are invited to a pre-parade event and will walk in the parade en masse. The first eighty bicycle riders to Biking for The Beer Of It in Miamisburg can participate in a nice ten mile ride on Tuesday, August 21^st, sponsored by Goose Island. There will be some refreshments at the mid way point, and a little bit of swag for all of the participants. Five chefs and six beers will be featured on Wednesday, August 22^nd, at the Dayton Art Institute’s Brewer’s Art dinner. Space is limited for this event, so you are going to want to make your reservations soon! Of course, the final event, the culmination of a week’s worth of fun and tasting and exploring is AleFest.

For fourteen years, this has been THE beer event in Dayton.

While you are out exploring Dayton, there are a few things you should remember as you are out doing your tastings:

When you taste, it is very similar to tasting wine. You want a little foam on the top. You also want to look at and sniff the beer before you taste it, to see what aromas are coming off of it.
Do not hold the beer in direct light when you look at it. You get the best idea of color when you look at it in indirect light.
Give it a little bit of a swirl in your glass. This stirs up the carbonation a little, allowing more of the aromas to be released. Don’t underestimate the importance of scent when tasting your beer!
Hold the beer in your mouth a little bit, allowing it to roam all over your tongue. Enjoy the flavors that come out as it is in your mouth. Take a mental note on how thick the beer is. This is known as mouthfeel.
Allow the beer to warm up SLIGHTLY before you drink it. As with wine, a little bit of extra warmth unveils deeper flavors that may not be otherwise obvious.

And while you are going to Beer Week events:

Car pool. Parking is going to be very limited for some of these events, and the citizens are going to be out in force. Getting more people in one car is going to be helpful for everyone.
Get there early. You want to make sure you get there in enough time to get seats, be able to talk to the guest of honor, etc. Some events may even have limited seating. Make sure you call the venue and check out the details.
Drink plenty of water. This is going to serve a twofold purpose. First, water will help cleanse the palate between each beer, giving you a better idea of how each beer tastes. Secondly, it will help you avoid a worse hangover than you might normally have.
Do not eat spicy foods before you go to an event. You do not want your taste buds to be still burning from the Nuclear Hot wings you just ate. Eat a little something; just tone it down.
Go to the dark side. If you are not at a pre-set beer tasting, start off with some of the lighter beers, and go to the darker ones. The darker beers tend to have heavier flavors and be thicker, which can linger a little longer.
Designate a driver. No explanation needed.

Next week is going to be an exciting romp through the world of craft beer. Check out the list and plan you week carefully, participate in a few a events, and try out a few beers you have never thought about before, or may not get a chance to again. I am sure Max Spang (who helped me quite a bit with advice and research on this article) and I will see you out at some point around town. Cheers!

Third Shift Beer Now Available in the Dayton Area

July 4, 2012 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Third Shift Lager available on Draft in Dayton

A new draft beer has come to town and is available at local Dayton eateries. The beer, called THIRD SHIFT, and is an amber lager that is 5.3 percent alcohol by volume. Third Shift is the first beer released on a large scale in series of gold medal award winning beers brewed by ” Band of Brewers.”

Why the name Third Shift? Because the brewers’ love of beer, and passion for brewing doesn’t stop when the day shift is over. Third Shift describes their beer as “an amber lager that is complex, yet well-balanced with a sweet maltiness that dominates slightly over a clean, hop bitterness.” Sounds good, right?

The Rig Ragu loves the term foodie and craft beer. He has a passion for tasty brews that spills past our normal work shifts, so we had to try this lager. We first tasted Third Shift on tap at Brixx Ice Company in Dayton, and we loved it. Third Shift, noticed our mention of their beer in the Brixx story and kindly sent us some bottles of the product.

Hungry Jax’s Take on Third Shift : It definitely has a bold taste and I am a fan of amber lagers. It will be interesting to see if this beer makes a mark in the “craft beer” industry.

The Big Ragu’s Take on Third Shift : It is a light, refreshing, smooth and easy drinking lager that packs some flavor. I prefer lighter beers, and this beer is a perfect start to a Food Adventure meal during these summer months. It also has a beautiful color.

The Big Ragu Workin’ the Third Shift

Food Adventure fans can now find a limited-release introduction of this well balanced lager at local bars, pubs and restaurants. We think you will like it’s toasted character with subtle hops taste. According to their website, Third Shift has been also been introduced on draft in limited quantities in other cities such as San Francisco, Reno, Sacramento, San Antonio, Austin, Houston and Dallas.

Make sure you try this tasty new draft offering at your local restaurant or watering hole. It gives new meaning to the phrase “workin the third shift.”

Visit www.thirdshiftbrewing.com for more information on this two-time gold medal winning beer and where it can be purchased.

Have you tried THIRD SHIFT AMBER LAGER ? Please post your thoughts below about this new beer on the scene.

Also, please visit Food Adventures on Facebook and “like” our page by clicking HERE !!

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Troegs Java Head Stout – Video Review

June 20, 2012 By Max Spang Leave a Comment

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Es-_sJK7eA’]

This is the Snobby Beer review of Java Head Stout from Tröegs Brewing Co in Hershey, PA. This year-round beer features coffee that is added via the hopback vessel, where the hot wort passes through what is essentially a giant French Press on its way to fermentation. This is also one of the first stouts that got me into craft beer!

This beer is available year round in the Dayton area wherever quality beers are sold.

From the Troegs website:

“Alcohol by Volume: 7.5%
Hop Bitterness (IBUs): 60
Color (SRM): Black
Availability: Year Round
Malts: Pilsner, Crystal, Chocolate, Roast
JuJu: Oats, Blend of Coffee Beans
Hops: Cluster, Chinook, Cascade
Yeast: Unfiltered Ale

JavaHead Stout contains a blend of locally roasted espresso and Kenyan coffee beans by St. Thomas Roasters in Linglestown, PA.

JavaHead’s recipe is based off of our original oatmeal stout. After the boil, the hot wort passes through our hopback vessel on it’s way to fermentation. Packed full of whole leaf hops and a bed of ground coffee beans, the hopback vessel is similar to using a huge French press, intensifying the coffee nose and releasing subtle hints of coffee flavor. The result is a lush oatmeal mouthfeel balanced with cocoa, roasted barley and subtle coffee flavors.

FOOD COMPLIMENTS
Cheese (earthy; Camembert, Fontina) General (Chocolate, Dessert) Meat (Shellfish, Smoked Meat)

Serving Suggestions:
Temp: 50-55°F Glassware: Pint or Mug”

Questions? Suggestions? Let me know what you think! Grab a beer and leave a comment.

Food Adventures visits The Market on Wilmington Pike

May 31, 2012 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

The Market on Wilmington Pike

Summer is a great time to have a cold beer or glass of wine on a deck or patio. It is also a time of enjoying a good cigar while outside golfing with friends or just relaxing. We found a nice little Food Adventure spot where you can get wine, beer, cigars, Greek specialties and more. It is called The Market and is a family owned and operated shop on Wilmington Pike in Kettering, not far from Rahn Rd. The place is not huge, but it is packed with a wide variety of beer, wine and cigar selections.
Owner George Karras says the best way to check out their special offers is to visit their website here. We saw some interesting things that were “off the beaten path.” We also discovered that this Mom and Pop place can help place special orders for “hard to find items!”

Beer at The Market: Too many brands to choose from? The Market has mix and match specials. Certain unique beers this month are $4.99 for each 6-pack and $3.99 for each 6-pack if you order a case. There are beers in almost every nook and cranny of this store. There is also a walk-in “Beer Vault” keeping brews ice cold at 33 degrees. The Big Ragu picked up a rare treat in a 32 ounce Sol Beer Bottle from Mexico for only $1.99.

Wine at The Market: Through buying various close-out specials, The Market is able to offer good wines at good prices. Again, it is all about selection here. The staff is knowledgeable and can help sort out the various offerings.

Cigars at The Market: Want variety? There are 400+ cigar choices in the walk-in humidor. There are also close-out bundles, and specials that made us do a double take. We even found a few good stogey choices for under $2 each! Any of your cigar questions are easily answered by longtime employee Russell, who will bend your ear about his favorites and steer you towards some good “sticks.”

Greek Specialties at The Market: The Karras family is very involved in the Dayton Greek Festival, and you may recognize George from the festival band. The Market gives George a chance to showcase some Greek Specialties that are rare finds in the Dayton area. First off, there are Gyro Kits for under $10. The Market also has homemade tzadziki sauce for sale that is made with goat’s milk-yogurt. Other Greek goodies include Mytzithra, Kefalotiri, Kefalograviera, and Kasseri which are all cheeses made with sheep or goat’s milk. This is definitely Food Adventure material.

The Market is a great place to run in and out, or to take a half hour and explore. It is a unique place with unique offerings. Grab a gallon of milk, or a Hefeweizen beer. There is no other place like it in Dayton. What impresses us most about The Market is the affordable selection. Good deals on good products throughout the store. This Market is definitely one worth checking out.

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Have you been to The Market? Tell us about your experience by commenting below!

Insanity! A Beer Review

April 11, 2012 By Max Spang Leave a Comment

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5xwhn7Njg0′]

This is the Snobby Beer review of Insanity from Weyerbacher Brewing Company in Easton, Pennsylvania. This seasonal beer is a bourbon barrel aged version of their year-round English Barleywine, Blithering Idiot. Clocking in at a whopping 11.1% ABV, this beer is big and bold. You may have seen my text review of this beer, but this is a beer that I feel deserves a video review!

From the Weyerbacher website:

“Insanity is made by aging our perfectly balanced Blithering Idiot Barleywine in oak bourbon casks. This incredible combination creates a mélange of flavors from rich malts, raisons, and dates to oak, vanilla, and bourbon. Insanity will be yours this February!!!

Insanity is 11.1% ABV. It is best enjoyed in a brandy snifter and served at 45-55ºF.”

Here is the text review for this beer:

APPEARANCE

This beer is extremely murky. Reddish-brown with almost no light coming through. The head was about a finger and disappeared completely after a few moments. Admittedly it’s not the prettiest beer, but you can tell from the looks that it is good and hearty. It looks like a typical unfiltered barleywine.

SMELL

Lots of biscuit in the nose. The oak comes through, as do raisin and dark fruits such as plums and overly-ripe apricots. A very slight tinge of alcohol comes through, but not as much as one would expect from a 11.1% beer. As it warms, the alcohol becomes more pronounced yet it’s still fairly well hidden. There is a hint of spice such as cloves or nutmeg, albeit they are very mild.

TASTE

Ah – this is everything I like in a good barleywine. Tons and tons of dark fruits – dark overly-ripe cherries, plum, raisin, and apricot. I am reminded of cognac while I sip due to the wonderful fruit flavors. It’s very sweet, in fact it is almost syrupy which, in this case, is very pleasant.There’s a large amount of bread and biscuit flavors. The alcohol is extremely hidden in this beer, there’s only a slight taste of the alcohol after you swallow. The oak is sort of an afterthought, and I probably wouldn’t have noticed it if the smell didn’t come through. The aftertaste lasts and lasts, almost never quite leaving the mouth.

MOUTHFEEL

This one’s a sipper. It’s very thick and syrupy with almost no carbonation. It’s slightly warming, but not as much as you’d think for having such a high ABV. It’s not easy drinking by any means, but rather the type of beer you sit and enjoy over the course of an hour (or longer!).

OVERALL

Excellent, excellent English style Barleywine. It’s got all of the delicious dark fruits and biscuit notes, and the oak adds a really nice bit of complexity that makes you crave more. This almost reminds me of Dogfish Head’s 120 Minute IPA as far as the extreme fruit flavors. I don’t know how old my bottle was (couldn’t find a date anywhere), but I can tell this beer ages b-e-a-utifully. This is an awesome beer and is relatively easy to find (if you get Weyerbacher, that is) so I am definitely going to hold this beer in very high regards. Grab a few of these for the winter months, and enjoy in your favorite reading chair while snuggling up under some covers before bed.

Cheers.

SCORE: ★★★★ 4/5

Questions? Suggestions? Let me know what you think! Grab a beer and leave a comment.

This review is also available at Snobby Beer.

19 Beers and The Perfect Burger: One Eyed Jacks

March 29, 2012 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

The University Shopping Center across from Wright State’s Nutter Center is a unique place to eat. You have the normal options of Subway, McDonalds, Bob Evans, etc… but in the mix of the mediocre there are a few places like Jeet, The Flying Pizza, and Tiks Thai Express dishing out some really good food. But, my favorite is One Eyed Jacks. Founded April 14^thof 2008, Jacks has been serving up cold beer and hot burgers straight to the mouths of Wright State Students for years.

Busy behind the bar shot at One Eyed Jacks.

Friday night crowd keeping the bar busy on a Friday.

The brilliance of One Eyed Jacks lies in its mix of quality atmosphere, food, and drinks. During the day, Jacks is perfect for winding down with a cold beer and a burger, but on a weekend night the mood changes. As people roll in, the band sets up, and the group conversations all merge into a wall of sound and you find yourself in a pure party setting.
There is no musical prejudice at Jacks. The Rumpke Mountain Boys had several people trying their hand at a jig with others bumping, grinding, and yes hula-hooping to their wonderful bluegrass twang. Upcoming acts like Cappadonna from the Wu Tang Clan (Mach 30^th) will undoubtedly have a lot of people bouncing around the stage trying some new moves that maybe they shouldn’t. With smiles everywhere, band playing, the bar hostesses hard at work, and the kitchen buzzing, it is impossible to have a bad time at Jacks.

Egg, Burger, Bacon, Hashbrowns... That is all you need to know.

With all of that atmosphere, it would be a shame if there wasn’t substance to back it up. Jacks does not disappoint. The Veggie Zaffer (my regular choice) is the most amazing piece of late night satisfaction in Dayton. Two house sauces, siracha-kraut (a creative twist on kim-chi) and tatonka (a mildly spicy cream sauce) sit on a huge spicy black bean burger with cheese, onion, and swiss. It is spicy, rich, and if you think you need meat to have a good burger, this will prove you wrong. While the Zaffer is fantastic on its own, it is served with a mound of hot, perfectly greasy, seasoned, and battered french fries. There are few words outside of addictive that I would use to describe these flawless fries. While I am prone to ramble on about the $7.99 Zaffer basket and how every order should be placed with extra tatonka and blue cheese on the side their other options are something too.

Like the “2am” burger. For $7.99 you get a large beef patty sitting atop a hash brown and covered with cheddar, ketchup, bacon, and an egg. Or, if you’re just a little peckish share some pizza nuggets ($7.99) stuffed with cheese and pepperoni served up with marinara for dipping. The whole menu from pizza to wings, from burgers to salads is consistently good, packed with flavor, and reasonably priced all under $10.

The pickle spears are fantastically crunchy.

Open 11am-2:30am Monday through Saturday and 12pm-2:30am on Sunday, One Eyed Jacks is a fantastically assembled bar with great service, 19 beers on tap, fantastic food, and a variety of music that few rival. (Not to mention $3 shots of Jameson on the 14^thof every month.) Head to Jacks if you are down for a fun night with good people.