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Dayton On Tap

Dayton Beer Company Now Open!

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John from Centerville was the first guy in line today at 4:30pm for the opening of The Dayton Beer Company.  He says he’s a  craft beer fan, who used to brew in the 90’s and has passed his passion on to his daughter who now brews in Knoxville. He says he’s never had a bad beer yet and upon sampling his first brew at the new Kettering Brewery he proclaims the Broken Trolley Blonde Ale as “wonderful.”

Kevin trying out the sampler

Kevin Kreig of Centerville is also a big fan of craft beers and he started his experience off with a flight of beer, which is four 4oz samples for $5.  Pints run $4 and growlers are $17 with refills available for just $13.  On it’s opening day, the intimate tasting room was at capacity with about 40 folks standing inside and a line out the door, with a few groups enjoying their beers on the small patio.

John from Miami Township says he’s “not a chemist or a brewer, but I know what I like and I’m proud to support an Alter grad.  Peter Hilgeman, the 25 year old Daytonian who founded The Dayton Beer Company says he’s always been interested in beer, but working at The Party Source in Covington, KY  during his college days at University of Cincinnati really peaked his interest. “I really wanted to restore the brewing tradition,” Dayton once had.  He spent five months traveling through Europe educating his pallet before returning home to create great tasting beers.

Jon, Dan & Mike enjoying opening day

In naming his beers, Pete pays homage to Dayton history with brews like Patterson Pale Ale,  Hawthorn Hill Hefeweizen and the Inventors IPA, which was a favorite of Kettering resident Dan, who is just happy to support a Dayton Brewery for the first time in 62 years!

Mike, who’s vising from Durham, North Carolina truly enjoyed the Rising River Porter, and was surprised at it’s lightness, but proclaimed it “perfect for summer.”  Coming tomorrow a Stout and a Smoked Ale will be added to the menu.  Speaking of menu, according to a price list on the table chips, soda’s,  Red Bull, bottled water, pretzels and beer nuts will be available, but on opening day it was all hands on deck to just get the beers out.

If you plan on frequenting the brew pub, you might be interested in joining the Flying High Club.  Basic membership is $20 and offers 50 cents off tastings, pints and 6 packs as well as a 10th free option and mailings.   The intermediate level adds a DBC Pint Glass, t-shirt and 2 koozie’s and everything from the basic package.  For you big rollers out there, you’ll think nothing of dropping $125 which lets you sport a DBC Polo shirt, 2 DBC Pint Glasses, 2 koozies and the basic benefits, too.

The Dayton Beer Company is located at 912 E. Dorothy Lane and will be open Wed – Saturday 5-10pm.

 

 

 

Tapping In!

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Like a beer lover’s Christmas…for a week!

You may not be aware of it, but we live in a Golden Age of beer. Outside of the major players in the beer game, there are just fewer than 2,000 craft breweries in the United States. It is estimated that majority of Americans live within ten miles of one of them. In the not too distant future, that will be true of Dayton as well, with the opening of the Toxic Brew Company. That number has come a long way since the 1970’s, when there were around forty breweries in the United States, and the dominant beer was the German style lager in the tradition of Budweiser. If you were looking for anything outside of that, you would have to find an expensive import. That is why the week of 14th to the 20th of May has been declared American Craft Beer Week by the Brewer’s Association. It is a time to celebrate craft brewing in all of its small batch glory.

There are three major criteria for what the Brewer’s Association considers a craft beer brewery.  The brewery in question has to be small, producing six million barrels of beer or less. To give you some idea of that size, Anheuser-Busch InBev sold 17.7 million barrels of Budweiser in 2011. Almost 18 million barrels of just one beer. Sam Adams, in comparison, sold 2.5 million barrels of all their fifty four beers released in 2011 combined.  The brewery has to be independent, meaning that less than 25% of the brewery can be owned by a member of the alcohol industry. Goose Island ceased to be a craft brewer when it became part of the Anheuser-Busch InBev Empire. Even if the holding company does nothing to the beer, it is not independent. It should also be traditional, having its flagship beer be all malt, or at least half of all its beers being malt-based. They also look for innovation, making sure that brewers are always pushing the edges of the styles to improve the product. And most craft brewers, since they depend on locaholics to spread the word of their product, tend to be very heavily involved in their community. This blend of distinct characteristics (small, independent, traditional, and passionate) creates a blueprint for a typical craft brewery.

The craft beer movement really did not begin until the 1980’s. In colonial times and up to the late 19th century, all breweries were local. They may have spread a little further than their own county, but with the limited technology of the day, they did not keep well and they did not travel quickly. It was not until the birth of the railroad and the advent of the refrigerated car that a beer was able to jump up and take over the country. Adolphus Busch was the man that made this leap (as well as a few others), and created a beer that was the same from New York to San Francisco. The big breweries, like Miller, Coors, Pabst, and others, grew from this point, crowding out all of the smaller competition. This downward spiral, aided by Prohibition, killed small breweries until 1965, when Fritz Maytag revived the Anchor Steam Brewing Company. Ken Grossman started to cobble together (literally) the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, using his passion for brewing and his knowledge of chemistry and engineering to create his beer. It was not until 1980 that the world saw its first drinkable batch of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Six years after that, the Boston Brewing Company was born, and Samuel Adams became part of a wave of breweries that swept the nation. That wave has been building over the last fifteen years, and does not show any sign of stopping. It has grown so  big there are even social sites where people can share the beers they love, one of the bigger ones being Untappd, where you can check in to each beer, rate it, tweet it, and even include where you are enjoying it so others may try it.

Can you pick the most delicious beer from this line up?

Of course, you are going to want to celebrate this week. Before you start celebrating, you should write down that Ohio Brew Week is June 22-30 in Athens, OH and our own Dayton Beer Week is August 18-25. For this coming week, there are plenty of great places to check out craft brews in Dayton. Downtown, the Trolley Stop has a wonderful selection of craft beers, as well as a beer tasting on the first Wednesday of every month. If they seem a little full, you can walk down the street a little and check out Lucky’s  Tap Room. They have eighteen beers on tap, and a hand book they give you to make sure you have an idea of what each one tastes like. Blind Bob’s also has a marvelous selection of craft beers  and food, and is also within stumbling distance in the Oregon District. If you are looking for something a little further afield, the South Park Tavern has an amazing selection of craft beers on tap and by the bottle, as well as a fairly extensive selection in bottles and live music most days of the week. Traveling further south and closer to the Dayton Mall brings you to Chappy’s Tap Room and Grille. While Lucky’s has a good sized book of beers, Chappy’s has a novel. They also have some beer clubs you can join, so you can benefit from trying their rotating beer taps and work your way onto their Beer Wall of Fame. If you are looking to travel a little north of the city, there is Boston’s Bistro, “where bier tasting is an art.” They have an extensive and always rotating list of bottle and draught beers, as well as food specials every night of the week. If you are looking to just bring some beers home to try, Belmont Party Supply is the place to go. They offer a wide variety of six packs and single bottles of beer, and they are the ones that run the beer tasting for the Trolley Stop. So they really know their brews.

You can even go out next week and have fine craft beers for a good cause!  The Big Brews and Blues Festival will be going on Friday, May 18th to benefit Dayton Diabetes.  There will be over thirty craft beers for you to sample, as well as good food and live blues music to listen to. It is a great way to end the work week and support local charity. You can even get the heads of this esteemed website serving beer to you! Celebrity bartending at its finest.  With all of these options for the week of the American Craft Beer week, what is going to stop you from broadening your beer palate? And if you have a beer you think people should be trying next week, leave a note in the comments. Cheers!

 

Big Brews & Blues (Ticket Contest)

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National Craft Beer Week is May 14 – 20 and the 3rd annual All Draught Beer Tasting hosted by Diabetes Dayton is the perfect way to celebrate.  It’s an evening of craft beers, and local blues at Carillon Park.  Starting at 5pm on Friday, May 18th brews from  Akron’s Thirsty Dog and  Ohio Brewing Companies, Columbus based Elevator Brewing, Mount Carmel and Riverton from Cincinnati. Also on site will be  Wooden Shoe Brewing Company of Minster,who began in 1860, survived prohibition and became one of the most desired brews of it’s era.  In all there will be over 30 craft beers to select from.

Purchase your early bird ticket for Big Brews and Blues for  just $30 until May 15th, which includes event entry and 20 beer sampling tickets with a commemorative tasting glass. On May 16th ticket price increases to $35.  If you are there just for the music, you can purchase a $5 entry ticket and beer will be available by the pint for $5.  This event happens rain or shine and ticket are nonrefundable.  Tickets can be purchased online.

General Admission Ticket: $35 available from may 16-18 includes event entry and 20 beer sampling tickets with a commemorative tasting glass buy your ticket online: click on the shopping cart at the bottom of the page! tickets are nonrefundable and the event will go on- rain or shine just want to come check out the event

Noah Witherspoon

The Silver Kings Blues Band will start the night out at 5pm, Uptown Blues Players  hit the stage at 6pm, Miss Lissa and Company begin at 8pm and the  evenings headliner, Noah Witherspoon will come on at 8pm and the event concludes at 9pm.

In honor of American Craft Beer Week  Dayton DRAFT  will be on hand demonstating the craft of homebrewing up close and personal throughout the evening of Big Brews and Blues.

Attendees will be able to dine on offerings from Boston’s Bistro & Pub, Brock Masterson’s Catering, Hickory River Smokehouse and Kaimelsky’s.

Providing camps for children living with diabetes is one of the most important programs at Diabetes Dayton. Their goal is to offer a safe, fun filled week of resident camping under the supervision of medical staff.  100 % of the funds raised at thisevent are used so that any child living with diabetes can attend camp, regardless of their ability to pay. Camp for these kids means making friends with other children living with diabetes, becoming more independent, receiving the best medical care 24/7, and enjoying all the fun camp can offer.

Ticket Contest

Dayton Most Metro has TWO PAIRS of tickets to give away to Big Brews & Blues!  Simply fill out the form below and comment below with your favorite craft beer.  We’ll draw two winners this Friday May 11 Saturday May 12 at 2pm – good luck!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to Troy Lindsey and Tamera Geesling – they are both winners in our ticket drawing for the Big Brews & Blues Festival! We do hope to see most of the rest of you there – there will be awesome beers, music, and DMM will be there pouring beers! CHEERS!

Insanity! A Beer Review

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[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:

Weyerbacher Insanity“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.

Weyerbacher InsanityMOUTHFEEL

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.

Sixpoint Bengali Tiger Video Review

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[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdS0CqRc3hs&’]

Brand new to Ohio! This is the Snobby Beer review of Bengali Tiger from Sixpoint Craft Ales in Brooklyn, New York. Sixpoint produces beers that are available in cans, and just recently became distributed in Ohio. The website claims that this beer is inspired by a homebrewed IPA.

From the Sixpoint website:Sixpoint Bengali Tiger

“What immortal hand or eye. Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
The Sixpoint homebrewed IPA interpretation. Blaze orange in color, with an abundance of citrus hop bitterness, and a full pine and grapefruit bouquet in the aroma.”

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

A Special Pint of Plain

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You are spending HOW MUCH on drinking?

There will be plenty of beer to be had this weekend on one of the biggest beer drinking days in the United States, St. Patrick’s Day. In fact, $4.5 billion could be spend on this day alone, and breweries will earn about $250 million dollars of that, or 1% of their sales for the year. It is like Christmas for the liquor industry. A great deal of you will drink your traditional Budweiser and Miller/Coors products, dyed green for the holiday. Some of you will step out and hit a stout or Irish red, along with the tradition of the holiday. If you really want to go traditional, you would throw down on a few hard ciders as well, which are still huge on the Emerald Isle and the United Kingdom. Or, you can start to mix it up. Literally.

Many of you have heard of the Black and Tan. Some of you may have had it pre-bottled by Yuengling, Michelob, or other beer companies. It typically is a mixture of pale ale with a stout or porter, poured so the stout layers on top of the ale. Traditionally it is Bass on the bottom, and Guinness on top. When pouring the beer, if you want the layered effect, start with the pale ale first. Fill the glass about half way, then pour in the stout over a spoon or down the side of the glass slowly. The layering depends on liquid density. Most beers have densities that are very similar, so any rapid pouring or disturbance in the bottom liquor will automatically mix the two beers. The stout goes on top delicately. Yes, though it is denser in flavor and color, it is actually scientifically less dense. Go figure. Another variation of this is the Half and Half, where a pale lager (like Harp, so we can stay Irish) is substituted for pale ale. Sometimes the two are used interchangeably, so make sure you know what you are asking for in the bar you will be making your last stumble in.

The science behind the Black and Tan leads to many, many variations. Here are a few of them, as featured in various places around the web:

Black and Blue: Guinness over Blue Moon. It is also known as a “Dark Side of the Moon” or “Eclipse”
Black and Brown: Guinness over Newcastle (Maybe you can find some Mt. Carmel Nut Brown to work with)
Black and Gold: Guinness over Dortmunder Gold
Priest Collar: Guinness over hard cider. Here in the Midwest, we also refer to it as a Snakebite.
Belgian Brunette: Guinness over Stella Artois.
Black and Trash: Guinness over Budweiser. (Make it green for the holiday…)

Joy in a glass.

If you are looking for the traditional Irish way of drinking it, lay your Guinness over some Smithwick’s. This is usually referred to as a Blacksmith or a Pint Special. You can even get something they call just a Special, which it a pint of Smithwick’s with a small layer of Guinness over the top of it, just to give it a nice, foamy head. It would be in very poor form to ask for a Black and Tan. In the 1920’s, the British sent over a special paramilitary unit to try to put down an Irish uprising. They had more people than they had uniforms, so there was a mix of browns from light khaki to almost black. They spent a good deal of their time failing to stop the Irish Republican Army while shooting into unarmed crowds of civilians. This British group, formally called the Royal Irish Constabulary, is known in Ireland as the Black and Tans for their motley uniforms. Your trivia (and Irish Safety Lesson) for the day.

Guinness is not only found floating on top of other beers. It can be found layered on champagne and called a Black Velvet. It is said that after the death of Prince Albert in 1861, Queen Victoria was inconsolable. At his funeral and around the city, she wanted everything to be draped in black. To drape the champagne at funeral and any other royal events n black, they poured in Guinness first, and then topped it off with champagne. It is important to do it in the proper order. Layering in reverse causes a huge foamy mess. Trust the writer on this one.

Beer mixing does not always involve Guinness. If you are looking for something to refresh yourself in this heat we seem to be experiencing, you may want something more light and refreshing. A shandy is an ale or lager (something light) mixed in equal parts with ginger ale, ginger beer, or lemonade. Put the non-alcoholic element in the glass first, and then add the beer on top of it. It is not going to layer, but it is going to mix for something cold and refreshing. If you are looking to add a little more oomph to your beer, you can go for a Depth Charge, which is a shot of liquor added to the beer of your choice. Some more popular options are tequila and Corona, orange vodka and Blue Moon, vanilla vodka and Guinness, and spiced rum and a darker bock or lager. Just remember that you are going to get hit a little harder by the extra shot you are getting with each beer.

The reason for the season, St. Patrick

If you are going to indulge in a little adventure, try out a few of the above mentioned beer concoctions to add some variation to your day. On the big day, make sure that you are drinking plenty of water to help minimize your hangover, and be sure that you are not driving. Have some eggs for breakfast, or plan to have them the next day, along with some coffee and more water. Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself. And if you plan on making a toast, here is a traditional one from Ireland…

Saint Patrick was a gentleman,
Who through strategy and stealth,
Drove all the snakes from Ireland,
Here’s a toasting to his health.
But not too many toastings
Lest you lose yourself and then
Forget the good Saint Patrick
And see all those snakes again.

Sláinte!

 

 

 

Beers of St. Patrick’s Day – Video Reviews

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St. Patty’s day is just around the corner. As with most things having to do with Irish-Americans, this means a lot of alcohol consumption. I can attest to the validity of  this statement due to my heritage, which is mostly Irish (though you’d never know that because of my German last name). While most people think of Guinness as the quintessential St. Patrick’s Day beer, there are other options out there – in fact, there are a TON of beers to satisfy your Celtic craving. I recently shot reviews of a few of these beers. Check out these videos

 

Murphy's Irish Stout

Murphy’s Irish Stout

 

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJOfKb75n4I’] This is the Snobby Beer review of Murphy’s Irish Stout from Cork, Ireland. Murphy’s is sort of known as the “other” Irish Dry Stout, and is available in cans and draught. The can features a nitrogen widget that produces smaller bubbles than carbon dioxide, which gives the impression of a smoother, creamier beer. This beer is only 4% Alcohol by Volume. Murphy’s was bought by Heineken in 1983.

Killian's Irish Red

Killian’s Irish Red

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nkkk1_f1XMs’] This one is pretty much only “Irish” in name. Killian’s is an amber/red lager brewed by Coors Brewing Company, and is available year-round. According to the website, Killian’s started as a more traditional Irish Red Ale. George Killian supposedly wanted to share his beer so much that he brought it to America. Whether or not this story is true, nobody can deny the fact that this is one of the most widely available beers on the market in America today.

 

That’s it. No, seriously, there’s no more beer reviews. Were you expecting something else?

 

…Oh, what the heck, here’s the Guinness reviews I shot last year.

 

Guinness

Guinness Draught

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upwI1ApnUnA’]Guinness Draught is made by Guinness Ltd, located in Dublin, Ireland. Guinness Draught is arguably the most famous stout on the planet. Unlike most stouts, which are generally on the heavier side, Guinness is actually lighter than some light beers! The perceived “heaviness” of Guinness comes from the nitrogen, which produces smaller bubbles.

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRUOysHCoNM’] Guinness Foreign Extra Stout is the hoppiest stout made by Guinness. Many people say that this is better than Guinness Draught – is it? We find out in this video!

 

These reviews can also be found at Snobby Beer.

Lucky’s Celebrates 1st Anniversary with Tapstravaganza

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“Drew Trick had a vision: A comfortable place where people can enjoy a wide variety of draught beer and eat fresh food with their friends and family, as well as see couple-hundred model cars. On October 23, 2010, Trick made this dream a reality, purchasing what is now known as Lucky’

 Taproom and Eatery, located in the Oregon Arts District.”

Read the rest of this Sept 2011 article here/

Now a year later, there’s no doubt that  Lucky’s has established itself as a destination in the district for great craft beers!  And what better way to celebrate their first anniversary than by tapping specialty beers all day Saturday.  You can even  visit with brewery ambassadors like Clay Cooper from New Holland Brewing, Greg Pilch of Bell’s Brewing and Massie from Left Hand Brewing.

 

The celebration begins  at midnight Friday, March 9th with:

Bell’s Hell Hath No Fury Ale

Left Hand’s Week Sauce porter

 

Saturday Morning Tappings (10am)

 

New Holland’s Dragon’s Milk

New Holland’s Farmhouse Hatter

Bell’s Sparkling Ale

Founder’s All Day IPA

Founder’s Porter

Founder’s Double Trouble

Boulder’s Mojo Risin on Nitro

Plus a couple of others TBA

 

12 noon (Small Batch Beer ~ Only Keg in Ohio)

New Holland’s Who Ate My Cookie? Porter

 

2pm (Small Batch Beer ~ Only Keg in Ohio)

New Holland’s Golden Mean Trippel

 

4pm

Bell’s Third Coast Barleywine

6pm

Founder’s Curmudgeon’s Better Half

 

8pm

Left Hand’s Ambidextrous Imperial Oatmeal Stout

 

10pm

Left Hand’s Widdershins Barleywine

The crew  will be Brian (aka Pickle), Erin, Cortney, Kathy, Zach and Drew will probably walk around acting like he owns the joint (well-he does).  Stop on in and toast this little gem in the Oregon District! We’re sure glad to have you around!

Cincinnati Sour Beer – Rivertown Pestilence Review

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Rivertown PestilenceRivertown Brewing Company recently released their first beer of their Brewmaster Reserve Limited Release Series, and the beer is Pestilence. Pestilence is a sour brown ale brewed with 7 varieties of malted barley and wheat. The beer also has has Hibiscus flower, and has gone through the process of sour mashing. You may remember that Rivertown has dabbled in sour beers before.

Rivertown is from the great state of Ohio, and are located in Cincinnati.

From the Rivertown press release:

Rivertown Brewing Co.’s Brewmasters Reserve Limited Release Series is set to kick off next month.

We are pleased to announce the 2012 Brewmasters limited release series starting with the introduction of “Pestilence”. Pestilence is a sour brown ale brewed with 7 varieties of malted barley and wheat, organic whole Hibiscus flower pedals and spicy hops from the Hallertau growing region of Bavaria. The name Pestilence is derived from the ancient biblical term for infection or plague. Through a natural process called sour mashing, we expose the mash to airborne elements for a period of 48 hours allowing for a natural infection to arise causing the beer to sour. After this process is complete, we collect the sweet, sour runnings and introduce the spicy hops. We then boil it for a period of 1 hour and steep it with fresh hibiscus flower pedals. The end result is a wonderfully aromatic blend of fresh botanical herbs and mouth puckering sourness.

Pestilence will be the first of four brews released in 2012 centered around the ancient Mayan apocalypse of 2012 which signifies the world’s end on December 21st. Pestilence holds significance as being one of the Four Horseman set loose upon the world acting as a harbinger of the last judgment charging through at worlds end carrying wheat and a fist full of barley.

Release Date: Early February 2012
Alcohol by Volume: 5.4%
Color: 20 SRM (Brown)
Style Guideline: Wild/American Sour Ale/Brown Ale
Availability: 12 oz bottles 24-loose case/ 1/6bbl keg
Malts Used: Pilsner, Pale, Carabelge, White Wheat, Chocolate, Dark crystal, Munich
Hops: Hallertau Perle
Specialty Ingredients: Organic Hibiscus Flower Pedals
Serving Temp: 55F

P.S.- Save one bottle to enjoy as a vertical on December 21st 2012

APPEARANCE

The beer pours a Coca-Cola brown, with just the slightest amount of deep red light poking through. There was a tiny white head when first poured, but it went away fast and left nothing remaining. There was little visible carbonation. Overall, it looks somewhat like a clear Belgian dark – nice looking beer.

SMELL

There’s some interesting aroma coming from this beer. There is some nice dark fruits, such as plum and raisin. There is a bit of Greek yogurt, which is followed by a bit of stomach acid… Not exactly unpleasant, but definitely different. There’s a good amount of sweetness on the nose as well, bringing some nice maltiness and maybe a bit of caramel. The hop character is on the spicy side, bringing some floral and honey-like aromas. Overall, pretty complex but not the most pleasant smelling brew.

Rivertown Pestilence Label

TASTE

 

The taste is fairly different than the aroma. There is a surprising amount of cocoa in this beer, which I was not expecting. There’s a big amount of nutty flavor that reminds me a lot of cashews, which was also unexpected. There is a decent sour twang to it, but it’s not a jaw-locking sourness. More like a pretty solid tartness throughout. The first few sips brought that stomach acid flavor, which reminded me of… well, puke. As it warms up, though, that flavor is replaced with more of a Greek yogurt flavor. There’s a lot of dark fruits in here, as well as some hop spice and floral flavors. This is a pretty complex beer on the tongue!

MOUTHFEEL

This has a bit more body than I had anticipated. There is a nice, dry finish and the tartness creates a crisp mouthfeel. There is a lingering oily feeling that reminds me of the leftover oil from a cashew. It’s pretty easy drinking, but the sort of wild flavors keep this from being a beer you can chug. Nice mouthfeel on this brew.

OVERALL

An unusual beer to say the least. It’s not a sour to end all sours, but it is a unique experience to drink this beer. There’s some interesting funky things going on that makes you want to keep drinking, but it’s not so wild that it’s off putting. Admittedly, the stomach acid aroma and taste frightened me at first, but it smoothed out as the beer warmed. I would definitely recommend trying this beer. It’s fairly cheap for a sour ale, so grab a few bottles and age’em until after the end of the world.

Cheers.

This review can also be found at Snobby Beer.

SCORE: ★★★ 3/5

What The Hell is Beer? Presentation at Pecha Kucha Dayton

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[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB6MIMSungI’]

On February 23, 2012, I was invited to present at Pecha Kucha Dayton Volume 10. Pecha Kucha ( also called PK Night ) is a series of presenters that are required to show 20 images each lasting 20 seconds long. This format allows for a rapid, fast-paced, and eclectic group of presentations.

What The Hell is Beer?

For more information, please visit
http://www.pecha-kucha.org/
http://www.pecha-kucha.org/night/dayton/

This video can also be found at Snobby Beer.

Bell’s Black Note Stout Review

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Bell's Black Note Stout

Black Note Stout from Bell’s Brewery, Inc. is a blend of their Expedition Stout and Double Cream stout. It is then aged in retired bourbon barrels for months. I was lucky enough to try this beer on tap at Chappy’s Taproom. This beer was recently released in bottles in extremely limited quantities for the first time.

From the Bell’s website:

One of the most sought-after stouts in Bell’s history, Black Note Stout blends the complex aromatics of Expedition Stout with the velvety smooth texture of Double Cream Stout and ages the combination in freshly retired oak bourbon barrels for months. The resulting harmony of flavors captures the finest features of all three components: malty notes of dark chocolate, espresso & dried fruits, all buoyed by the warmth and fragrance of the bourbon barrel. Aimed squarely at the stout and bourbon aficionados, Black Note makes a grand statement about the art of the dark.

Alcohol by Volume: 11.5%
Original Gravity: 1.112
Shelf Life: N/A

APPEARANCE

Well, what do you expect? It’s black as night, and sat under a mocha-colored head that dissipated quickly. There was no lacing, but the beer had some pretty apparent alcohol legs. There wasn’t any light coming through on this one. With a name like Black Note, would you expect anything else?

SMELL

This is heavy on the bourbon in the nose, which brings notes of vanilla and toasted coconut. There is a lot of nice complexity that ranges from sweet to slightly boozy. A hefty amount of chocolate and licorice comes through, and brings a bit of coffee and roasted malt with it. This is the type of beer that you get full from by just smelling – there is a LOT going on!

TASTE

First off, this beer is remarkably smooth. The bourbon is not as strong as it was on the nose, but it is definitely present. With it, the bourbon brings notes of vanilla, licorice, and toasted coconut come out. Surprisingly, the alcohol is very well hidden. The beer starts off milky sweet, with smooth caramel and toffee characteristics, then finishes with a nice hoppy bitterness. The bourbon lasts a long time after the swallow, making this beer have an absolutely amazing after taste.

Bell's Black Note Stout Label

MOUTHFEEL

This beer drinks like a pillow – it’s smooth! It has a velvet-creamy mouthfeel, sort of like melted chocolate. There isn’t much carbonation, which adds to the creaminess. The beer has a nice big body which makes it a sipper. The intense aftertaste lingers for an extremely long time.

OVERALL

This beer is incredible. It can hang with the big boy bourbon barrel aged brews and hold its ground. It’s a special beer from a brewery that is arguably one of the best brewers of stouts. I wouldn’t say that this is the barrel-aged stout to end all barrel-aged stouts, but it is absolutely incredible and worth seeking out.

Cheers.

SCORE: ★★★★ 4/5

This review can also be found at Snobby Beer.

Craft Beer Goes Gluten Free – Dogfish Head Tweason’ale Review

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Dogfish Head Tweason'ale

Tweason’ale from Dogfish Head is a gluten free, sorghum based beer brewed with strawberries and honey. This is the first 4 pack in the Dogfish Head lineup in 5 years. Dogfish Head certainly isn’t the first brewery to make gluten free beer, but this is arguably the biggest release of a beer of this type.

From the Dogfish Head website:

The No. 1 thing Dogfish lovers ask for at our pub, in our brewery and on our website is a gluten-free beer. But not just any gluten-free beer — they want gluten-free with gusto.

 

“It seems as if lots of folks who have gluten-tolerance issues are pining for an interesting beer,” says Dogfish founder and president Sam Calagione. “While there are a few well-made examples that mirror traditional beer styles, there arent any off-centered offerings.”

 

Enter Tweason’ale.

 

For our first new 12-ounce 4-packs in nearly half a decade, we replaced the classic barley foundation of beer with a mild sorghum base. The hints of molasses and pit-fruit are balanced by vibrant strawberry notes and a unique complexity that comes with the addition of a malty buckwheat honey.

 

We believe health-conscious beer drinkers and the millions of Americans who suffer from Celiac disease can cut back on gluten while relishing the distinction and drinkability of this very special brew.

 

Tweasonale is a seasonal for between the seasons. It will first hit shelves in late January 2012 and will be released four times a year through our national network of distributors.

 

This beer was pretty labor-intensive to make, but it was a beautiful process. We invited our artist friends Jamie and Kevin to come document our brew with their ultra-cool Cinemagraph process. Check out the process here.

 

Original Release Date:

 

07/2011

 

Food Pairing Recommendations:

 

Fatty fish, dried fruit, salted nuts

 

Wine Comparable:

 

Rose

 

Here is my review for this beer.

 

APPEARANCE

 

Beautiful stuff – it’s a crystal clear honey-blonde color. The head was small and didn’t stick around for very long, but there was some nice visible carbonation in the glass sort of like champagne. In fact, this beer looks a lot like champagne due to its clarity. I must say it makes me thirsty just looking at it!

 

 

SMELL

 

The strawberry comes through and creates a nice, refreshing aroma. It’s on the border between smelling like fresh fruit and artificial fruit, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing in this case. It’s followed by an unusual earthy aroma, and perhaps grassy notes and baker’s yeast. The honey is subtle, but present. Overall, this a nice smelling fruit beer.

 

TASTE

Dogfish Head Tweason'ale Label

 

This beer has some interesting flavors! The strawberry comes out, bringing some nice sweetness and slight tartness. There’s sort of a spicey character, not quite like Belgian yeast notes (clove, banana, etc) but more like fresh or candied ginger. There’s some slight earthiness in there, but not as much as the nose. A yeast flavor comes through as it warms. It almost reminds me of sparkling grape juice in terms of flavor.

 

MOUTHFEEL

 

 

This is a really light beverage. There isn’t much body to it, which makes it extremely easy drinking. It’s nice and effervescent, and it doesn’t really feel like beer. It feels more like champagne or even soda due to the dryness and the high carbonation.

 

OVERALL

 

Not a bad brew in the least bit! I grabbed a whole 4 pack, and I’m glad that I did. It’s got some really nice flavors and is super easy to drink, so this is a beverage for both people who like beer as well as people who don’t. It’s nice to see a fairly large craft brewery like Dogfish Head produce a gluten-free beer that people with or without gluten allergies can appreciate. The lack of body makes the brew a little under-satisfying, but the complex flavors make up for it.

 

Cheers.

 

SCORE: ★★★ 3/5

This review can also be found at Snobby Beer.

 

 

 

Bud Light Goes Platinum

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Today’s big news in big beer is Anheuser-Busch’s release of Bud Light Platinum, just in time for Superbowl celebrating!  Decked out in a tall cobalt blue bottle, this new beer is a little sweeter and a little stronger than your average domestic beer.  The new Platinum beer has 137 calories and 4.4 grams of carbs,   while top-selling Bud Light, by comparison, weighs in at 4.2% ABV with 110 calories and 6.6 grams of carbs. The company describes the brew this way: “It’s smooth, bold and effortlessly sophisticated, but with the drinkability that consumers expect from a light beer.” 

You’ll pay a little more for the higher alcohol content, Platinum is running $6.99 a six pack of bottles,  about $1.30 more than  Bud Light at Belmont Party Supply.  “People has already been in asking for it, I think the higher alcohol content is what appeals to them,” says Natalie Moore, the social media guru at the Smithville Road store.

Anheuser- Busch InBev says it created Bud Light Platinum to appeal to a new breed of light beer drinker who likes a little more flavor in a light beer and a more stylish presentation.  Advertising Age earlier this month described the release of Bud Light Platinum as part of an effort “to win over younger drinkers who have been gravitating to spirits.” The publication said A-B InBev would spend heavily on advertising and is expected to buy at least one spot for Platinum during the February 5 Super Bowl.

If you try the Bud Light Platinum, let us know what you think in the comments below:

 

 

 

Bell’s Hopslam – Video Review

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[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEsjL3FTXgs’]

This is the Snobby Beer review of Hopslam from Bell’s Beer, Inc. in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Hopslam is an American Imperial IPA ( or double IPA ) that gets tons and tons of hype when it is released each year. Hopslam is brewed with six different hop varieties and honey to create a complex flavor and body.Bell's Hosplam

There’s also a nice little shout out to the guys at the Better Beer Authority! Cheers, guys!

From the Bells website:

“Starting with six different hop varietals added to the brew kettle & culminating with a massive dry-hop addition of Simcoe hops, Bell’s Hopslam Ale possesses the most complex hopping schedule in the Bell’s repertoire. Selected specifically because of their aromatic qualities, these Pacific Northwest varieties contribute a pungent blend of grapefruit, stone fruit, and floral notes. A generous malt bill and a solid dollop of honey provide just enough body to keep the balance in check, resulting in a remarkably drinkable rendition of the Double India Pale Ale style.”

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

This post can also be found at Snobby Beer.

The Brew Kettle White Rajah – Video Review

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A fantastic beer made right here in Ohio!

This is the Snobby Beer review of White Rajah from The Brew Kettle in Strongsville, Ohio. White Rajah is an American IPA that has been getting a lot of attention. I feel like I don’t showcase enough of the fantastic beers from my home state of Ohio, so I’m trying to fix that!

From the Brew Kettle website:The Brew Kettle White Rajah

“A West Coast style IPA full of citrus-like and tropical fruit like hop flavor and aroma with an assertive yet smooth bitter finish….malt, take a back seat please.”

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

Natural Light ( Natty Light ) – Video Review

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[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UOJbI0lg2g’]

This is the Snobby Beer review of Natural Light (AKA Natty Light) from Anheuser Busch in St. Louis, Missouri. Natural Light is a light lager served in cans and bottles. The beer has a reputation as being a college student’s beer of choice due to it’s affordability.

Hey, every beer deserves a fair review!

From the Anheuser Busch website:

“Natural Light is a wonderfully blended, balanced and brewed for a consistently clean flavor, light body and satisfying refreshment. Introduced in 1977, Natural Light was Anheuser-Busch’s first reduced-calorie light beer.”

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