Sneak Peek For What's Coming In 2012

COMING IN 2012

Happy Thanksgiving from gulp!

Happy Thanksgiving from us here at gulp!

Enjoy some great food and even better beer!

See ya soon with some new beer reviews

-Steve-

Cigar City Good Gourd

Oh baby, we're on a roll this week at gulp! If my research is correct, this is the busiest beer review week in gulps! short history. It's actually quite sad if you think about it. I've been running the blog for about 11 months, and this is the first week where we've reviewed almost the same number of beers as there are days in a week. I wish there was a prize for this. Oh wait, I run the blog, so I get to drink the great beer. Game, set, match.

So, earlier today I reviewed a great Terrapin beer: Pumpkinfest. Well, this evening I'm coming at you with a really special beer from a really great FLORIDA brewery. Good Gourd from Cigar City Brewing based in Tampa, Fl. Cigar City Brewing has been around about 3 years and have totally revolutionized the beer scene not only in the cigar city of Tampa, but the entire state of Florida. So much so that they were the only Florida brewery to win a gold medal at this year's Great American Beer Festival.

If you're a Florida citizen, I imagine that you know Tampa is known as "cigar city" due to their rich cigar history. Cigar City Brewing has grasped that by the horns, and presents it with almost all of their products. Take one look at their logo, and it's quite obvious how much they enjoy the rich history of Tampa. Many of their beers have built into their labels, or names, hints of the history of the area.

I myself have only had 1 Cigar City beer: Jai Alai IPA. I had it at their tasting room in Tampa over the summer (I think I've had it once before that, but don't remember). It was a really good IPA. Cigar City has many other standard offerings though: Maduro Brown Ale, White Oak-aged Jai Alai IPA, Cubano-style Espresso Brown Ale (which is in my fridge), and Jose Marti American Porter. They also have special 750mL regulars: Bolita Double Nut Brown Ale, Guava Grove Farmhouse Ale, and Improve Oatmeal Rye India-style Brown Ale. Just look at that list. I'm sure you notice how unique these guys are, along with today's earlier brewery, Terrapin. Cigar City also takes pride in using local ingredients as frequent as possible, which is something they should be applauded for.

Tonight, I am very excited to try the Good Gourd 750mL seasonal from Cigar City. I've read that it is pretty comparable to Pumpking by Southern Tier; some say it's even better than said pump-king. I'll of course be my own judge of that. On their website, Cigar City writes a playful intro to the description of the beer by saying "Legend has it that when a pumpkin comes into the world it is possessed by either a good or an evil spirit". Well, they think that at Cigar City, they got all the good. We are told to prepare for real pumpkin flavors, spices, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. All the great ingredients to a really good pumpkin beer. I should note that this is an Imperial Pumpkin Ale. The Gourd is sittin pretty at 8.5% ABV... and being 750mL, I suggest bringing a friend along for the ride. However, in my case, my wife isn't here tonight, and my dogs still don't like beer, and I'm not a huge fan of keeping an open bottle in the fridge, so, we'll just see where this goes (wink, wink).

Upon popping the cap, the bottle let out a little fizz noise. I've had this in my fridge for about a month or so... I'm hoping that doesn't ruin anything. I let the bottle sit for a few minutes as well so it wasn't as cold when I poured the beer. It was a bit difficult to get any scents from the bottle, but upon pouring into my St. Bernardus snifter glass, I was catching the cloves, spices, and a little bit of nutmeg. No shockers with the golden copper coloring. At this point, there should be a special name for this color. Let's go with copper pumpkin shall we? This is the last pumpkin beer of the season that I'll be reviewing, so I figure we better make it interesting.

The Gourd has a medium body feel, and is not overly complex on the way down. It's very smooth, and you can certainly catch all of the different flavors and spices at different points of the drinking. I do wish I knew what the Jamaican allspice smelled like pre-brewing because based on my research of this beer, it is pretty apparent throughout. It isn't as heavy on the nutmeg as Pumpking is; but I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. Without a doubt, it knocks the doors off of any standard pumpkin ale. Compared to Pumpking though, I'd say they're neck and neck.

Now that the beer has had some time to warm up, the carmely texture is really shining, as well as the different spices. It's almost become a different drink than when completely cold, and it's fantastic. I'd say it's complex, and a bit edgy on the way down. Without a doubt, it helps the case. I'd say the only thing missing is some whipped cream to go on top to finish the pumpkin!

Well folks, that about wraps up this seasons pumpkin beers. Pumking and Good Gourd are without a doubt the two most amazing pumpkin beers out on the market. With Good Gourd being our feature tonight, I strongly recommend you find some before the season is over. Gulp it down with family and/or friends, but savor every sip because it won't be back until next year. Thank you Cigar City for making an incredible product. I'm looking forward to having the Espresso Brown Ale very soon!

Terrapin Pumpkinfest

Happy 11-11-11! I have the day off, so in beer speak, that means we're drinkin early today! I'm actually planning on reviewing two beers today. I'd love to do three, but the second beer is large and I plan on milking it for a while. Until then, I have a fantastic Terrapin product to talk about: Pumpkinfest. I've never had it before today, so I'm really looking forward to it because Terrapin has some solid-solid beers. I think they're slowing becoming my favorite craft brewery. What a love story.

A little about Terrapin. They're based out of Athens, Georgia and have three year-round beers: Hopsecutioner, Rye Pale Ale, and Golden Ale. I've had the first two (I think I wrote about Hopsecutioner), and they were pretty good. They have three seasonal offerings: Pumpkinfest (new to the lineup), Moo Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout (OMG), and Hop Karma Brown IPA. Finally, they have four "Monster Beers": Wake'n'Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout (which I had earlier this year and was unbelievable), Big Hoppy Monster, Monk's Revenge (Belgian IPA), and Hopzilla (Imperial IPA). They also have some random side projects and collaborations too - including Hoptaneous Combustion (a SMOKED Double IPA - which was intense). So I'd say that is quite a line up of very, very unique beers; and as I said, I've had several and they've all been amazing.

On to Pumpkinfest. This beer is pretty unique for a couple reasons. One, it's a lager and not an ale. Most pumpkin beers are ales and incorporate different ingredients. Since the main brewer at Terrapin is a bit of a nutcase, they decided to do Pumpkinfest differently. It's actually the combination of a german style oktoberfest beer and a pumpkin ale (aka a 'hybrid'). Therefore, while there was about a pound of pumpkin used in the brewing, the malts are very germanesque. All in all, I am expecting a quality brew here.

As you've probably noticed, I've been on a pumpkin beer kick. However, some of the latest "non-imperial" pumpkin beers have been flat for me. Combine that with my high thoughts of Terrapin, I've got high hopes.  The beer pours the standard golden/copper hue that you normally see with a pumpkin beer. Thankfully, right off the bat, I was hit with nutmeg and clove scents; a good sign of a really good pumpkin beer. The spices are pretty complex for a pumpkin beer, which kinda gives it that tie-in to the oktoberfest/pumpkin beer, which is pretty cool. The back end is a little big hoppy, but certainly big on the spices. It's pretty smooth all around, and is a pleasure to drink.

Overall, this is a solid offering from Terrapin. Of the non-imperial pumpkin beers, this one tops the list for me (yes, above Pumpkinhead from Shipyard - which would be #2). It's 6.1% ABV, so while drinkable, it could have you topsy-turvey after a few. I definitely recommend this beer while we're still in the fall, and before the winter beers start taking over the shelves. Heck, they kind of have already. So, what are you waiting for!? Get out there and buy the latest from the crazy green turtle!!

Buffalo Bill's Brewery - America's Original Pumpkin Ale

Tonight we're picking up where we left off last night. I had originally planned to review this beer yesterday, but I got sidetracked. Plus, my wife wanted to do a review, so I helped her with that. Anyway, tonight's beer review is Buffalo Bill's Brewery, America's Original Pumpkin Ale. I think out of all of the pumpkin beers, this one is probably the easiest to find in stores. Touted as an "ale brewed with real pumpkin and natural spice flavor", the bottle really suggests that you are about to be hit with some pumpkin madness. Well, we'll be the judge of that.

The Buffalo Bill's Brewery website educates us on their five main beer bottle offerings: Orange Blossom Cream Ale, Alimony IPA, Blueberry Oatmeal Stout (which sounds pretty intense), Imperial Pumpkin Ale, and the America's Original Pumpkin Ale. Suffice it to say, Buffalo Bill's wasn't created to brew regular beers.

Now, today is November 9. So, I've had probably about 6-8 different pumpkin beers this season. At this point, Pumpking is far and away winner of best pumpkin beer. I haven't gotten to Good Gourd yet, but I have a feeling that beer will be just as good as Pumking. But, I guess what I'm driving at is I'm getting a litte tired of the pumpkin beers; so, Buffalo Bill may suffer in it's review. I suppose I'll try to be as objective as Fox News....

"America's Original" poured a very nice golden orange/copper color, and fizzed with carbonation. The head was pretty nonexistent though. Upon first scent, there was a nice layer of pumpkin. It was nice to smell because the last couple pumpkin beers were labeled as pumpkin, but I was pretty skeptical that there was any pumpkin at all. This pumpkin is pretty drinkable, I'd say comparable to Pumpkinhead from Shipyard, but this one is a bit more watery towards the back. There's a little bit of spice, but nothing too heavy. There's also very light nutmeg, but it's not very prevalent.

Overall, this beer, which is supposed to be like "pumpkin pie in a bottle", sort of falls flat for me. I don't think the beginning carbonation did any favors for the rest of the drinking experience. It's smooth, but somewhat watery. The spices do also get lost within the drink.

Not sure how to end this one. I got it for 2 bucks at World Market, so, if you see it at your local retailer, it's cheap enough that if you don't like it, you won't feel bad about not liking it.

ABV: 5.2%

Surprise guest post! Cold Storage Florida Avenue Blueberry

Surprise, tonight is a double dose of gulp! The big surprise though, is that this review has been put together by Sarah, my wife. Actually, she wanted to do a review, so she drank the beer and took some notes. The beer she chose to review was Cold Storage Craft Brewery Florida Avenue Blueberry: "Ale with Blueberry Flavor Added". Cold Storage is based out of Tampa and is touted as "Tampa Bay's Youngest Local Brewery". They're so young in fact, that according to their Facebook page, they were founded this year! Don't know if that means, 2011 or 2010, but nevertheless, good for them!

On to the beer. Right off the pour, I was hit with the blueberry scent, which was essentially no surprise. A lack of BB scent would've been a disappointment considering the name of the beer. I also noticed a pretty high level of carbonation; this baby was sprtizin' and poppin' like a soda. Also no surprise was the light color; much like a light lager.

This blueberry beauty drank easy, but will a little zing in the malt department. Unfortunately, the more I drank, the more the blueberry flavors got lost in the carbonation and malt textures throughout. Although, those factors did contribue to a pretty high drinkability level, which I enjoy. Also of note is that the warmer this beer got, the worse it got. Unlike the pumpkin ales Steve has, which he says should "warm up" a little bit, I'd recommend keeping this ale cold to keep the flavors at "Bay".

Overall, it's no Seadog Blueberry, but for a brewery that just started out, I'd say it's a good start. If you see it at a bar, or on a shelf somewhere, support your local brewery and buy it! If you don't, stick to Seadog ;)

ABV: 4.5%

BISON Organic Gingerbread Ale

Greetings everyone. My fridge appears to be overflowing with pumpkin ales... and now "winter" ales. I've decided to leapfrog a few beers to get to tonight's review. On my to-do list is Cigar City Good Gourd, Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale, and Terrapin Pumpkinfest... but I thought this one was too cool to pass up. When it comes to holiday memories as a kid, there aren't many "things" that bypass gingerbread cookies. Well, tonight's beer takes gingerbread to a whole new level. Bison Brewing (out of Berkley, California - who also brew all organic beer) Gingerbread Ale is brewed with ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. While the gingerbread man from Shrek wasn't decapitated to make this, it's safe to assume that with the big three ingredients, something close to gingerbread will be found. 

This gingerbread ale is the holiday offering from Bison. Note that it is a porter, so if you're not used to drinking dark beers, proceed with caution. I personally have come to really enjoy the depth offered from porters and stouts. I believe I poured this a bit haphazardly because the head was pretty big. The nice part about that though, as you see in the photo, was that it really highlighted the cocoa brown color. Unfortunately, the thick head didn't come with a powerful scent. I found myself searching for the big three (ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon). Granted, cinnamon doesn't really have a smell, but I was hoping to get some nutmeg in there. Overall, I wasn't too overpowered with any scents, including gingerbread. In general though, there was some chocolate and a bit of nutmeg. In the drinkability department, I was surprised. For a porter, it's actually quite drinkable. It's smooth, decent in carbonation, and it's not too bitter on the back end. In fact, the hops kind of peek through towards the end, which is a nice touch. 

Ultimately, if you look past the sell of gingerbread, it's a pretty decent beer. On my random sliding scale, I'd give this a solid B (like an 86-88 for you teachers out there). I especially like the little write up: "Our Spiced holiday porter is brewed with ginger, nutmeg and a touch of cinnamon, yielding the aroma of fresh backed gingerbread men! The chewy dark malt flavors are sure to smooth out that dinner with the in-laws."

6.0% ABV
Main Ingredients: Organic Malt, Organic hops, water, yeast, and organic spices

Can't hold me down WOB

Your menu online said you had this, then you didn't. Thank you Total Wine & More. Review coming soon.

Post Road Pumpkin Ale (Brooklyn Brewery)

Been a little over a week since the last pumpkin write up, so it's time for the next one. Tonight I'm drinking Post Road Pumpkin Ale, by the Brooklyn Brewery Co. I'm a little nervous for this beer considering the last pumpkin beer I had was probably one of the best on the market.

It poured a light goldy haze, and the short lasting head was a light biscuit color. There actually wasn't much scent either, which was a bit of a disappointment. All around, this is a light beer. There isn't much spice punch, or pumpkin flavor. There isn't much else to say about this beer. Overall, I'm kind of bummed with the product. But, as I said, Pumking was a tough act to follow, so that may be the issue. If you it on the shelf, I leave the choice the you.

ABV: 5%

Southern Tier Brewing Company Imperial Pumking

Here comes the beer review that everyone, well, maybe one or two people, were waiting for. Southern Tier Imperial Pumking. Let's get our standard history and data lesson in first.

This Pumpking came available from a 22 oz bottle. The label is black, orange, and gray with a pumpkin king in the middle. On the side of the label we're given our lesson: "Pumking is an ode to Púca, a creature of Celtic folklore, who is both feared and respected by those who believe in it. Púca is said to waylay travelers throughout the night, tossing them on its back, and providing them the ride of their lives, from which they return forever changed! Brewed in the spirit of All Hallows Eve, a time of year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent. Pour Pumking into a goblet and allow it’s alluring spirit to overflow. As spicy aromas present themselves, let its deep copper color entrance you as your journey into this mystical brew has just begun. As the first drops touch your tongue a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds making it difficult to escape. This beer is brewed with pagan spirit yet should be enjoyed responsibly. " (http://www.southerntierbrewing.com/beers.html).

When first poured, there wasn't much head at all. However, it pours a very lovely golden rust orange color. The scents are a mixture of pumpkin pie, vanilla, nutmeg, caramel, and general "spiciness". A little bit of squash also peeks through if you smell hard enough. The back end is very light and smooth. There isn't much bite, but you can certainly feel the aforementioned spices and flavors. In fact, it goes down a bit like a light wine. It also reminds me a little bit of Weyerbacher Pumpkin, which had a bit more of a nutmeg flavor to it. 

Overall this is a fantastic seasonal beer, without a doubt the best one I've had so far. Full disclosure, I have yet to try Cigar City Good Gourd, which I've heard/read is quite the competitor. But, I strongly recommend getting your hands on this beer. I'm confident it will make you re-think your previous seasonal choices :) 

ABV: 8.6%



Thank you Steve.

Coney Island FREAKTOBERFEST

Red! Ack!

Tonight I'm drinking a very strange "oktoberfest" beer- FREAKTOBERFEST from the Coney Island Craft Lagers line of Shmaltz Brewing Company (the guys who make the "He'Brew"). It appears that the Coney Island line is for specialty weirdo beers. Let me tell you what, they hit the nail on the head with this beer. The bottle warns you that "this is not an oktoberfest..this is freaktoberfest!" Apparently I should've read the fine print better. For example: 6 malts, 6 hops, 6.66% ABV. Oh, by the way, the beverage is RED. Blood red. That was something I was not expecting, so needless to say, when I poured the freak, it freaked me out a bit! Even the head, which poured rather thick, was a light red color.
Smell wise, this is a strange beer. It is definitely not an oktoberfest, as there are no spices coming from this beer. In fact, it's more of a fruity/hoppy beer. The first sip was a complex ferris wheel of malt, hops, and fruit. Again, not what I expected from a beer with the name "-toberfest" in it. Given the spin, there isn't much lacing with this brew. The backend is a weird combination of sugar hoppiness. It kind of makes me wish I had an IPA handy to compare the two, because that's what this beer reminds me of; albeit, a poor IPA.
This was a strange beer. I think the color gimmick hurts its chances at being maybe a little better of a beer. I think I'd recommend it to someone if they want to try something different and get a laugh, but as far as trying to find a good beer, this isn't it.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

This is the first of the fall time brews to be reviewed this season. You know when there's a Dogfish Head product, it's bound to be special. Punkin Ale is really no different. The head built up into a fluffy light brown pillow right to the rim of the glass, which was entertaining. The scent is great with the nutmeg punching through at the top. This brown ale is spicy, with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon, two key ingredients in fall brews. There is a lack of pumpkin though, which was a bit disappointing. What wasn't disappointing though, was it's - macro defined - drinkability. A somewhat light to medium texture, so I could see a few of these being had in one sitting, which is a pleasant surprise.

What I really enjoy about the fall brews is that the color usually tastes the way it looks. What I mean is: with the brown coloring, I'd hope to get spiciness, brown sugar, biscuits; and that's what I'm getting. The contrast to that is, during the non-fall months, you may end up with an IPA or a more malty brown ale. I'd suggest buying this beer if you see it in the store. Like I said earlier, any Dogfish beer is bound to be special, and this beer is no different. So go be Off-Centered, like Dogfish wants you to be! 

It's Fall at gulp!

I've returned for your reading pleasure and beer education. The fall season is upon us, and concurrent with that is one of the best seasons for beer. I've put together a small collection of seasonal brews that I will be reviewing over the next month. I'll probably add more as the month goes on as there are more than the 7 pictured that need to be talked about. Continue checking back on the blog, and I think you'll like what you see and read! 

Left Hand Brewing Co. - Polestar Pilsner

Happy Tuesday people! This is a back-to-back week, one of the first in a long time. Thank you for stopping by to read today's review. The weather in Florida is reaching triple digits during the day, with the heat index, so today's review will feature a light pilsner from a brewery our of Colorado. Yes, that's two straight beers from out west, but trust me, there are some great products from that side of the Country. In fact, why don't we talk a little about the brewery: Lefthand Brewing Co. from Longmont, Colorado.

Lefthand Brewing Co.
Lefthand has quite a cool history. The story started in 1990 with a couple homebrewers - of course. In 1993, the two guys who founded the Brewery, Dick and Eric, started Indian Peaks Brewing Company, in honor of some regional geography and history. However, there was already a brewery with the same name, so they had to change to Lefthand in honor of Chief Niwot, from a local tribe. Niwot comes from the Arapahoe word which means "Lefthand". Pretty cool stuff. Anyway, in '94 Sawtooth Ale came out, and the groove kept on moving from there. In '98 the brothers merged Lefthand with Tabernash Brewing Company, based out of Denver. Fast forward to 2010, after a few sales, growth spurts, and money spending, the bro's have a massive brewhouse and have won numerous awards from their beer - including Polestar Pilsner (Bronze Medal, 2007, North American Beer Awards). So, now that you've gotten your daily history lesson, let's talk about the pils.

Polestar Pilsner
Polestar Pilsner is a great German-style pilsner. It is an American pilsner, but I say German-style because our European brethren tend to make their pilsners a bit more hoppy and bitter. Having said that, this opposite right hand offering is bitter and hoppy with smooth crisp finish. It pours a nice grainy yellow, with a thin foam head. You can see the suds raising the roof throughout. On the back end it's a bit spicy, but it's nothing to throw you back in your chair. This is a great beer, something I would highly recommend for a daily drink, or to substitute one of your favorite macro brews. And at 5.5%, it's certainly a beer that you can have more than once in one sitting.

If you're interested in more Lefthand Brewing products, I'd suggest the Sawtooth Ale (one of the first beers from Lefthand). I originally bought it to review on the site, but instead I just drank it to enjoy it. Other popular beers from the Lefthand are Milk Stout (Stout) and 400 Pound Monkey (IPA).

Great Divide Brewing Company - Colette Farmhouse Ale

Good Monday evening to my readers. I have been so terrible at updating the blog on a regular basis, so I'm thankful that you've come back for another read. Tonight's review will feature the first saison beer to be reviewed on gulp! Let's get right to it. 


What is a saison? 
A saison ale is, historically, a pale ale with low alcohol content. I wouldn't consider tonight's review a low alcohol content saison as it is 7.3% abv, which is on the higher end for a modern saison. In the old days, around 3% was standard. Anyway, saison is French for "season", in that Belgian farmers would drink the beers during the summer harvest season. They had to plan ahead though by brewing the beer in autumn or winter; and it also had to be strong enough during storage so it didn't lose to much alcohol by the time it was drinky time. Michael Jackson (no, not that MJ), a big name in the brew business, briefly describes a saison as "Seasonal summer style in the French-speaking part of Belgium. A sharply refreshing, faintly sour, top-fermenting brew, sometimes dry-hopped, often bottle-conditioned, 5.5 - 8 by volume."


Great Divide Brewing Company
I don't believe I've done a review on a Great Divide product yet, so I will indulge in a bit of history on them as well. These days, Colorado and Oregon are seen as two of the major states for micro-breweries. However, in 1994, when Great Divide was founded, such a scene hardly existed. I guess you could say that Great Divide, which opened up shop on the outskirts of Downtown Denver, helped to close the great divide. 

Photo taken with iPhone 4

Colette Farmhouse Ale
A little bit about the brew from Great Divide: "Colette is our homage to the beers that Belgian farm workers have enjoyed for centuries. Brewed with barley, wheat and rice and fermented at high temperatures with a special blend of four different yeast strains, Colette is fruity and slightly tart, with a dry finish that makes it that rarest of treats - a beer as refreshing as it is complex." 


One reason I was exited to try this beer tonight was to use my recently acquired Unibroue tulip glass. That might sound silly, but technically certain beers go better with certain glasses, and according to my "research", tulip was appropriate for this tasting. Now, up to this point, I wasn't sure if I had had a saison before. But, after I popped open the bottle and sniffed away, I was reminded of some recent beers I've had. The farmhouse ale pours a dark yellow - maybe best described as a carbonated liquid banana? The head was a fairly decent size, perhaps due to the tulip glass design. The smell is a bit sour, but fresh. On the way down it's a mix of spicy fruit and light ale. A bit spicier at the back end, but nothing overwhelming. 


Overall, this is a pretty good beer. Certainly easy to drink during our hot Florida summers. If you've never tried a saison, they're in season, so go grab a bottle and give it a shot!

Second post this week! New Grist Sorghum Beer (Organic)

We've hit a record here for the month for May - two posts in one week. It's part of my post-grad-school-empty-the-fridge master plan. Plus, it's a holiday weekend, so it's an even better reason to work on this type of thing. Before I get to the review of today's product, I do have a public service announcement: I'm going to eventually stop posting these updates to Facebook and do one of two things: rely on people becoming "subscribers", or followers, via the link to the right of this post (see the box that says "Subscribe to gulp!", or the "Become a follower" link) or I'm going to try to make a dedicated Facebook page. I'm trying to separate a few things on the 'net, so, yeah. Therefore, do your pal a favor and go ahead and become a legit subscriber or follower. If I eventually do the dedicated Facebook page, and I know you're a reader, I'll send you the dedicated link in a direct message. I'd prefer the first option I think though. 

Sorghum

Some organic stuff - New Grist Sorghum Beer

Today we have another beer that's been mocking me from my fridge since around February. I've been very skeptical in trying this beer because of the ingredients: sorghum and rice extract. First of all, I have absolutely no idea what sorghum is. Thank goodness for the internet! According to grains.org, "Grain sorghum is the third most important cereal crop grown in the United States and the fifth most important cereal crop grown in the world. The United States is the world's largest producer of grain sorghum followed by India and Nigeria. It is a leading cereal grain produced in Africa and is an important food source in India. Leading exporters are the United States, Australia and Argentina." (http://www.grains.org/sorghum). See, and you thought school was the only place where you could increase your knowledge! 

Unfortunately, I couldn't find much else out about the other ingredients used in the beer. The bottle is pretty vague, and the brewery website doesn't offer much either. I did, however, find an article from treehugger.com (hahaha, how ironic), that stated "the Lakefront Brewery along the Milwaukee River in Wisconsin, they not only offer organic beer but it’s also the first beer brewed without malted barley or any gluten-containing products to be authorized by the U.S. Government. Each batch is tested for gluten prior to fermentation, before being bottled and shipped. And, Lakefront was the first American brewery to produce a certified organic beer under its own label. The brewery began with only sixty barrels of production and sold them exclusively to taverns within "rolling" distance of their Milwaukee headquarters. Now, the beer is available for distribution in six packs of 12-ounce bottles." (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/08/new_grist_organ_1.php). Pretty cool, right? 

Lakefront Brewery

More about the brewery - Lakefront Brewery, Inc.

Lakefront Brewery is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, about 12 minutes northeast of Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers (which, by the way, we should all be fans of, considering...). The brewery was founded in 1987 by a couple bro's named Russ and Jim Klisch. What I like about their story is that they started brewing beer after reading a "how to brew beer" book. Moral of that story: keep at it home brewers! Anyway, following the book reading, Russ ended up building his own bottling machine in 1990 to handle the brewery's expanding popularity; and by 1998, 10 years after having sales of 72 barrels, the beer bro's were shipping 3000 barrels. 10 years after that, in 2008, after a move to their current location, they were 

shipping 11,000 barrels a year! How about that! 

This whole organic thing - doing thing's outside of the box -  is nothing new for Lakefront, because in 1992, they were the first brewery since the prohibition era to bottle a fruit beer! Lakefront Cherry Beer. In 1996, they were the first certified organic beer makers in the United States. Then, in 2006, they somehow convinced the government to change their policy on the definition of beer (at the time, beer had to be 25% malted barley). The reason for this was because the bro's wanted to create a gluten-free beer (which is the beer that will be reviewed today). Lastly, in 2007, the Wisconsin Department of Tourism announced the brewery as the first in the state and the first business in Milwaukee to receive the Travel Green Wisconsin award; which of course has to do with business related impacts to the environment. Not too bad for a beer company. 

The Beer

Look at the carbonation!

The reaction on Beer Advocate over this beer is very random. It's been given an average C- grade, but the written reviews express a generally positive, or at least curiously positive, view. I think it's just so unique of a beer that most people are at least glad to try it, but aren't comfortable with giving it a very high grade. I mean, when was the last time you had an organic sorghum beer? Exactly.

Upon pour, the head fizzled pretty quickly, and the carbonation unleashed like I had just poured a glass of champagne, which was very unexpected. There is also a very, very slight fruity aroma; emphasis on very, very slight. The colors are remnant of American lagers, but the flavor is an anomaly. I haven't had many ciders in my day, but I've tasted enough to say that this is almost trying to be like a cider. It's light and very crisp, and if it had stronger fruity flavor, I'd probably mistake it for a cider. The further down the glass I get though, I'm catching a few sour notes and a bit more fruitiness, and the crispness is still strong. Oh, by the way, it's 5.75% ABV.  

Overall I suppose it's not bad, but to me it's not really a beer per-say. I'd classify this as a wanna-be champagne lager, which is probably a made up term. Perhaps I should trademark that? If you see it in the store, and you want to try something a tad different, I'd say give it a shot. But, if you're looking for a "beer-beer", walk the other way and grab a Dogfish product, ha.      

Why hello. A new review? Sure! Saranac Pomegranate Wheat.

I know, I know. It's been literally just over two months since my last review. I know that I was barely grazing the surface with this blogging thing, but I was getting tired of trying to "find flavors" and "catchy lingo" to describe what I was drinking. So I decided to take a sabbatical. Over the last two months, I continued to try as many different beers as possible, all the while catching quite a bit of flack from my standard readers :) But, never fear, I think I'm ready to give this a third go 'round. What's that saying again? Third time's a charm? Sure why not. Let's give it a whirl!

Saranac Pomegranate Wheat

I've had this beer in my fridge for more than two months now. Probably closer to three. I bought it with the good intention of reviewing it rather quickly as I was intrigued by two things: 1) It's pomegranate wheat (described as "Wheat beer fermented with pomegranate juice"), and 2) It's from the region of the Adirondack's (i.e. the great northeast). According to the bottle, Saranac has traded loads of honey with some scary bears to get access to the pomegranate. Crazy guys. 

A little about the brewery

Saranac Brewery, part of the Matt Brewing Company, is located in Utica, New York. Like I mentioned in the previous paragraph, the region of the brewery is why I chose this beer. Well, there is more to the name Saranac. Saranac Lake is located about an hour southwest from Plattsburgh, N.Y.: the last town I lived in before my family moved to Florida. If you’ve read my blog in the past, you’d know that I do like to find beers from areas that I’ve either lived in, lived close to, or live in currently. Therefore, this was a great choice. Oh, and they provide some more information on the meaning of Saranac:

“Saranac. The word conjures up visions of clear lakes, open skies and breathtaking mountains. To the native people of our land, the Iroquois, the word means "Cluster of Stars." They lived with the beauty and serenity that was inherent to the lake and surrounding area. We borrow that name in the spirit with which it was created. We brew our Saranac line of beers from the pure water that flows from the Adirondacks and the grains that grow in its unspoiled soil.” (www.saranac.com/page/the-adirondacks)

Anyway, the Matt Brewing Company was founded in 1888 by a German-born immigrant, F.X. Matt I. At that time, the brewery was known as The West End Brewing Company. Since FX Matt founded the business, the MBC has been in the Matt family. The brewery is currently under the helm of the third and fourth generations of Matt family. This seems to be a trend in the beer business... unless you’re Anheuser Busch. They also have a segment of beers dedicated to Lake Placid which is of course located close to Plattsburgh, within the Adirondacks. 

The Beer

I do like to go to Beer Advocate before I drink beers to see what other people say. Currently the BA score is a B- with 262 reviews. It’s listed as an American Pale Wheat Ale, and 4.70% ABV (alcohol by volume if you forgot). Now, I’m not going to lie, I thought it was going to pour a little bit lighter with a slight red tinge, perhaps the pomegranate went to my head; so I was surprised that it looked more like a lager. There wasn’t much of a head, so no need in going any further with that. And unfortunately, there wasn’t a very distinct smell with this one either. 

The flavors are good. First and foremost, it’s a wheat beer, so I wasn’t expecting anything from left field; maybe just some fruitiness and maybe some tart. You can certainly taste a lacing of pomegranate, but it’s not as powerful as I thought, or hoped, it would be. 

I suppose my test on this is if I were at a bar with someone and this was on a list with 49 other beers, I don’t think I’d go crazy suggesting it. But, I do think I would point it out as something a little different. 

Shiner 102 Double Wheat

Today's review is the first "Double" Wheat to be featured on GULP! Spoetzel Brewery, based in Shiner, Texas, has been in operation since the very early 1900's. Their specialty beer is the Shiner Bock, a brew that's been around since 1913. The unique thing about today's review, the 102 Double, is that it's a filtered wheat. Typically wheat beers are left un-filtered, which is historically the "way to do it", and is known as a Hefeweizen. Those that are filtered are known as kristallweizen. Obviously both "ways" are quite German.

Pour! A very light gold color, actually almost like a lager. The carbonation levels are pretty obvious after the pouring. Not sure how I feel about this one.

Drink! Typically with the wheat beers, you can expect a more fruity flavor than other styles. Well, being a "hybrid" wheat, in between a "bright wheat beer and wheat wine ale", the flavors are a bit different than a non-hybrid. There's quite a tangy taste all the way through, with a very incredibly light scent. I'm not sure if the tang is from hops or what, but it's not what I was expecting... not really in a good way.

Thoughts! The Shiner 102, for celebrating 102 years of Shiner-ness, is just alright. I'm not too excited about it. If you zip over to Beer Advocate, you'll see that most folks there feel the same way. The tang back-end really doesn't do it for me. Like I said, you expect a certain thing with wheat's, I'm not sure the 102 delivered. Sorry Texas, not this time...

The Fort Collins Brewery - Rocky Mountain IPA

Hello readers! I hope everyone survived the first day back to work after the first day of Spring. If you live in Florida like I do, the weather has been awesome lately. I'm sure those of you up north, if anyone from up north even reads this, are happy to see the temperatures get outta the 50's and into the 60's. Oh wait a minute, I take that back, looks like the temperatures are still in the 30's and 40's in New England. Well... too bad! Time to move.

Anyway, welcome to the first beer review of GULP! "2.0!". I have survived the most difficult portion of my last semester of grad school, so I'm happy to get back to a somewhat normal schedule. Which now includes the blog! I'm going to continue tinkering with the layouts and designs - as you can see the top logo has changed a bit. Sadly no one responded to the chance of helping me design an actual logo, so I had to do my best. I'm also going to keep working on the format of the blog, the "GULP It Up", etc.

So the journey continues. The first beer review of the new session is a west coast offering. Coming from the heavy hitting beer state of Colorado, we have The Fort Collins Brewery, Rocky Mountain IPA. This isn't the first review of an FCB product. If you recall, during GULP! "1.0!", Retro Red was reviewed. It was a pretty good amber ale, so I was inclined to try another FCB offering. For some reason, there's a three-legged Elephant on the label. I wouldn't have noticed, however they went out of their way to point it out with the write-up on the side of the bottle: "Massive floral aroma lures you in while hop bitterness and malty sweetness mingle in symmetry. After all, great balance is key when you are only standing on three legs". Wordplay? Pun? Who knows...

Pour! Like most IPA's, this elephant ale poured a nice deep gold color and a surprisingly dark head. It wasn't dark like what you'd get with a Stout, but it did have very light amber tones. I wasn't expecting that.

Drink! Right off the bat you are hit with floral & hop. No surprise there; not only did the label warn us, but it is quite typical of an IPA. Bitter on the front end and bitter on the back end. Typical spices and hop hits throughout the entire GULP! experience. I sound like a broken record, but it seems that once you have one IPA, you might have had them all. I will say though, this IPA seemed a bit more powerful than the last, which if fine with me. Oh, and it weighs in a just over 6% ABV. Giddy up!

Thoughts! If you're a fan of the IPA style, I would highly suggest the FCB Rocky Mountain. Not to mention the three-legged elephant seems like a cool mascot. If you don't like IPA's, well, stay away... but do the elephant a favor and find him a four legged mate.

GULP! 2.0?

After a more than 30 day hiatus, GULP! is back. It sounds pretty pathetic to try and call this a "2.0" venture, since "1.0" barely got off the ground, but I'm going to do it anyway. Welcome to GULP! 2.0! I have gone with a different page design - well, it's not that different, you know how page templates work. Just little tweaks here and there. I'm also going to try to re-design the logo a little bit. In fact, if you, or someone you know, excels in the computer graphics department, I'd be very appreciative for some help in making a new logo. Who knows, there may be some cash and/or beer in the deal.

Click image for larger version

On to the beer, since that's why you are here! I haven't completely fallen off the beer wagon over the past month. In fact, since I haven't been blogging (and have been schooling), I have been able to try other brews, which unfortunately will not be discussed in this blog. The positive in that, like all things, is that I've been able to broaden my horizons a bit. That said, the image above is the starting line up for GULP! 2.0! It won't end here, I promise. It can't, because I've had certain requests that aren't a part of this lineup, so the show must continue.

So, the reviews are returning this week. And, as I mentioned, if you, or someone you know, can make graphics, hit me up. Let's see if we can strike a deal. Have a sweet weekend!

Valentine's Day Special - New Belgium Brewing Fat Tire (!!!!)

Happy Day-After Valentine's Day everyone. I hope cupid was nice to you, because this is the last fairy gift giver until the Easter Bunny. I, for one, not only gave an amazing gift, but also received an amazing gift. Background: in November, the wife and I went up to Savannah for a short weekend getaway. While we were up there, we stopped into one of the local hotels which had a bar on the roof. My wife got some crazy liquor drink, and I had my first New Belgium Brewing offering, Fat Tire. I had heard a lot about Fat Tire up to that point, so I needed to try it for myself. Like most of 2010, I hadn't really tried too many craft brews, but Fat Tire quickly became a favorite after that day. Unfortunately, living in Florida, Fat Tire is pretty much impossible to get a hold of (they don't sell it here, or ship it here). Well, that all changed as of Valentine's Day 2011. The wife surprised me with a Fat Tire gift basket! It came with three bottles of Fat Tire, a bag of pistachios, pretzel sticks, and cheese straws. Pretty much the most amazing gift for a Floridian beer lover. I suppose the best part of this gift is that it gave me a chance to do a proper review of Fat Tire, as, like I said, I hadn't expanded my tastes yet when I first tried it. So it's time to take off the training wheels and take the Fat Tire for a spin!

Pour before you GULP! Fat Tire is an amber ale, so you pretty much know what to expect. Upon pouring I was greeted with a dark amber coloring and a nice foamy head, basically what I surmised and what I remembered from our trip to Savannah. The bottle is dressed up with, what comes off to me as, a European flair label - and a red bicycle smack in the middle. Apparently the story with the bike is that one of the founders rode such a bicycle through Belgium when the idea for the brew was realized. Such a nice piece of serendipity, no!?

GULP! It Up! Don't expect very strong scents with this New Belgium Brewing favorite. In fact, don't expect to be overpowered with flavorings while you drink either. I'm not saying that in a negative way, I actually think that's what makes Fat Tire so freakin' popular, the subtly of the flavors make it incredibly drinkable. For the connoisseurs out there, you will find small notes of malt, and biscuit. For the non-connoisseurs, you might not taste much! But again, I don't think that's such a bad thing in this case; and actually, as you move on through the drink, you find some bitter hops, but it's far from overpowering. Overall it's a very crisp and malty experience. Very enjoyable.

Grade the GULP! When I would think about Fat Tire, it reminded me of a mild Savannah afternoon, sitting on the roof of a hotel. Thankfully I'll be able to enjoy a couple more of these in the comfort of my home, sifting through the different flavors while watching reruns of Seinfeld. Moving to the grades... I'm going to change things up a little bit. I have found the numerical grading system to be a bit of a pain, so I'm switching to letter grades. They hold the same weight as when you were in grade school, so no syllabus is required. I'm giving Fat Tire an A-. Where it lacks in the power flavor department, it makes up in drinkability and crispiness. Unfortunately, if you're a Floridian reading this, I don't think you'll be finding this in your local grocer or package store anytime soon; however, they do sell it in Georgia! Road trip!! I'd recommend taking a car though, not a flimsy looking red bicycle. Enjoy!

Wells and Young's Banana Bread Beer

As promised, here is the second review of the day. Yesterday, I had class from 9am to 5pm. Yes, on Saturday. It's crazy I know, but there was a nice pay off afterwards. I went with a colleague/classmate to a dive bar just outside downtown Orlando for a couple drinks. After having an OBP on draft, it was time to try a beer that I had heard about for quite a while, but never was able to get my hands on: the Wells and Young's Banana Bread beer. If you haven't heard of it before, you read that right. It's a beer that tastes like banana bread! You shouldn't be too shocked though, I mean, they have beer that tastes like chocolate, ya know?

Before I get to the actual review, I think it's appropriate to go over a little history! Wells and Young's is not a pushover brewery. Wells and Young's, as it stands today, was formed in 2006 after a merger between Charles Wells LTD and Young's Brewery, both based in the UK. CW LTD was formed in 1876 in England, and Young's Brewery was formed in 1831, also in England. Needless to say, the combination of two such historic breweries in 2006 has left us with a huge UK company and some very interesting beer! And, believe it or not, Wells and Young's also brew Kirin Ichiban, Red Stripe (Hooray Beer!), Corona Extra, Estrella Damm, Modeolo Especial, Negra Modela, and Pacifico Clara. Who's the smart one now!? I'm so proud, my little readers are all grown up. Hell, for all I know, you might've known all this already. If so, well la-dee-da. Bitches. There'll be a test later. Moving on!

One of my first beer blog posts, not for GULP! but for another blog I was apart of, was "Top Ten Beers I'd Share with my Grandma". Looking back, I really, really wish I would've had this beer before making that list. Banana bread is one of those things that are like apple pie, it brings back memories of home and childhood, and more than likely, grandma made it best. I really think that any beer list that is associated with grandma, or any other family member who bakes such goods, should include this beer. I'm getting ahead of myself now though, so crank up the stove baby! It's time for some (liquid) banana bread!

Pour before you GULP! Since I was in a bar with little outside light, I didn't get a good shot of the beer in the glass. However, a good 'ol image search on Google will show you that this beer is a nice amber color. Placing the bottle next to it makes you wish there were some walnuts or bread crumbs floating around inside the glass. Don't get too upset though, because what you're about to experience might make up for those "shortfalls".

GULP! It Up! If you look back at the review of the Terrapin Wake'N'Bake, you'll see that I used the term "holy mother of ______". Well, I think it's time to use that phrase again. Holy Mother of Bananas! This brew is straight up bananas, literally. Right from the get go you can smell the mixture of bananas and nuts. I have to say though, the smells, combined with the flavors, while drinking... it's almost too much. Don't get me wrong, it's ridiculously good, but for a beer, you start to wonder about adjuncts and what a beer is supposed to be. But, it is so good, I say to hell with all that. At 5.2% ABV, and the banana flavors, this turns out to be a very drinkable ale!

Grade the GULP! Okay, this is a pretty easy one for me. 9. This is definitely one of my favorite beers now. I don't think it'd be possible to have three in a row, but two wouldn't be bad. Over the year, I can see this as a new favorite during the holidays and during parties with friends. If you've never had this brew before, do yourself a favor and go find it. If you have and you were unsure about it, give it another shot. As for grandma, she'll get a new list when the year is through!

Bell's Two Hearted Ale

Sunday's suck without football, right? Luckily the Celtics - Heat game is on, so the afternoon wasn't a totally lost cause. It was a bit of a slow week for GULP! thanks to life priorities. However, today will bring two, maybe three reviews. Gotta catch up for lost time! So let's get to it.

First up today is Bell's Two Hearted Ale. One of the first GULP! reviews was another Bell's product, Hopslam, a double IPA. Hopslam is one of Bell's seasonal beers, and is arguably one of their most popular brews. Today's review, Two Hearted Ale, is one of their 8 year round beers, and is of the (single) IPA configuration.  

Pour before you GULP! Like 99.9% of the beers reviewed by GULP! Two Hearted was poured from a bottle into a glass. It unleashed a great dark gold color with a solid foamy head. The color actually reminded me of a 'not to be named' macro brewery product. I'll give you a guess though, it rhymes with 'studwiser'. Thankfully it doesn't taste like it...

GULP! It Up! IPA's are quickly becoming a more personal favorite for me, over amber lagers, thanks to the standard calling card: hoppy bitterness and floral scents. Two Hearted does not disappoint when it comes to that. The bottle lets you know that you're in for a 'crisp finish' and 'an incredibly floral hop aroma'. They weren't kidding. In fact, Two Hearted is a very drinkable IPA. It does have the aforementioned bitterness, but it goes down very smooth with a crisp, malty backbone. For those not used to beers with a higher alcohol content, here is your warning: 7% ABV. Not 'too' high, but it certainly isn't the general average of 4.5%-6%. Not sure what the deal is with the fish though... 

Grade the GULP! I am very pleased with this offering from Bell's. Crisp, hoppy, malty, and floral; it's just what you'd expect for a really good IPA. I feel very good about giving Bell's Two Hearted Ale a solid 9. Yes, matching last weeks high for Terrapin Wake'N'Bake Chocolate Oatmeal stout. I've been fortunate to have some pretty good beers lately, as the grades show. So, don't be scurred, give Bell's Two Hearted Ale a try! If you don't like IPA's, at least give this one a shot; and if you don't like it, well.... 

Victory Brewing Co - Prima Pils

My friends! It's been a few days! I apologize for having a pretty quiet week up to this point. Even though I had Monday off after a crazy weekend, I've been cramming like crazy for a very important mid-term tomorrow night. Sometimes I have to set priorities. I know, ridiculous. Today's review is about a beer leftover from our Super Bowl party: Victory Brewing Company Prima Pils. Sadly, not for me, but just 'sadly', this is a brew from Pennsylvania. State of the losing Pittsburgh Steelers. Buck up Steeler fans, you always have baseball season and the Pirates to look forward to! Yeah.... the.... Pirates....

The Victory Brewing Company, founded in 1996 in Dowington, PA (just under an hour west of Philly), has a pretty solid availability of year round beers. Two of which, Hop Devil and Golden Monkey, were enjoyed during the Super Bowl Shenanigans party. The "Prima"-donna up tonight is a three time award winner! Two time silver and one time Grand Champ. Sounds like a freaky recipe for something weird.

Pour before you GULP! I wasn't really sure what to expect when I bought this beer, so when it poured a darkish yellow, I thought I was going to be drinking a wheat. I know, I really did like, no research on this before I started drinking it. There seemed to be a very quick burst of carbonation, and a small foamy head, but after that, it leveled out quickly. Not bad, but nothing too special.

GULP! It up! Prima is packed with European hops and German malts. It doesn't have an overbearing smell as you raise up, but you can certainly taste the floral hops. However, as the drinking process progresses, the scent and flavor does start to dwindle a bit. Because of that, it turns in to quite a drinkable beer. At 5.3% ABV, having more than one is definitely do-able.

Grade the GULP! Like I previously mentioned, I didn't do too much research on the Pils before I drank up, but I have to say I was a little underwhelmed. I'd say that the grade on Beer Advocate, A-, is pretty nice. It's light on taste, light on scent, and light on color. That being said, I'm going to give the Prima Pils a low 7, if there is such a thing. Well, now there is. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad, and it would work well for a long afternoon outside as a change from the standard macro brewer options. But, if you're looking for something different, don't start here. Sorry guys. Smiley face?

Terrapin Wake 'N' Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout

Well I hoped you survived Super Bowl weekend. The Packers won, which I suppose is a good thing since there were multiple Alum's on the team from my University. I have to admit to not watching the second half; not from negligence, but for beer! After "gulping" the usual suspects during the first half, the second half was about breaking out the geographic specials. So we did, in the form of Victory Brewing Co. HopDevil Ale and Golden Monkey; and Leinenkugel Honey Wheat and Sunset Wheat (now affectionately known as the "fruity pebbles beer" - review coming soon). However, none of these fine selections are today's topic of conversation. Instead, I will be reviewing Terrapin's Wake 'N' Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout. Fortunately/Unfortunately I had this beer while out at our typical beer dive (World of Beer) so I was unable to get photos of the bottle and what it looked like in the glass. But never fear beer lovers, I will still be able to deliver the goods. Let's "hop" to it!

Image from http://www.terrapinbeer.com/

Pour before you GULP! Holy mother of chocolate. The Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout (COIS for short) is black. Like, straight up night time with no stars. What was great about it was that the head, as thin as it was, left hints of mocha chocolate coloring. That fact was very telling to what was going to happen during the drinking process.

GULP! It Up! Holy mother of coffee. Wait, did I already use that line? No? Okay I was close. This grandma terrapin did not screw around when making this little black mamba. Right from the get go your senses are pounded with combinations of coffee (a "premium blend of Costa Rican, Guatemalan, & Zimbabwe coffee") and chocolate. It was not thick by any means, the dense color fooling you, but the deep flavors make it an incredibly unique experience. The oatmeal flavor is not very strong, nor is the hop flavoring on the back end. But this multiple award winner is no slack in the alcohol department, weighing in at 8.6% ABV.

Grade the GULP! Stouts and Porters tend to have very unique flavor combinations. The COIS from Terrapin is no different. While you're drinking you may have an urge for vanilla ice cream or chocolate bars, but hold back. Be sure to enjoy a full drink first, then venture into other combinations - which is my plan. While having very intense alternative flavors, the COIS was unbelievable. Up to this point, I had never had a beer like this one. I personally wouldn't recommend having more than one due to the complex flavors, but enjoying one over an extended period is not a bad idea. Grade? 9. Congrats to the Terrapin Wake 'N' Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout for achieving the first 9 in GULP! history. What's the prize? Nothing. Well, maybe a few more purchases. Don't be scurred kiddo's, go give this turtle a shot!

Red Brick - Pale Ale

Happy Friday everyone and happy Super Bowl Eve-Eve! If your team is in the big dance, best of luck. But if not, like me, it's time to party and watch commercials. Aside from St. Patrick's Day and maybe the 4th of July, I'd argue that the Super Bowl is one of the biggest party/drinking days in the entire United States. And with the super popular craft beer scene, I'm expecting to see a lot of posts on Sunday of people sporting brews from Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. I for one will be partying with some close friends with PBR and Iron City - and maybe others if our local Total Wine sells other Wisconsin/Pennsylvania beers.

Tonight's review, which may be the last for the weekend, is highlighting a southern company - the Atlanta Brewing Company (aka Red Brick). Founded in 1993 and reinvigorated in the mid "oh-oh's" (2000's), RB has a strong baseball lineup of beers (9). Ranging from the Pale Ale, to Blonde Ale, to their Belgian Strong, Red Brick boasts a solid lineup that might be able to hang in the AL East.

Pour before you GULP! I haven't really had very many pale ale's in my short beer loving life, but if the Red Brick Pale Ale is any indication, I need to fix that problem! Pouring a dark gold, the RBPA shows off just enough carbonation to make it to second base. However, the head dissipates like a pitcher just hanging on in the seventh inning.

Gulp! It up! Nice. After reviewing two wheat's, it's nice to get that hop kick and malty texture flowing again. I'm not sure if my nose is stuffed up, but the scent isn't very strong. Actually, I couldn't really smell much of anything. The taste though is strong on hops and light on carmel and citrus. At the top end, it's pretty malty, but as you move on, it does get a bit lighter, which bodes well for having more than one. The label cracks me up: "Weep for your northern brethren: long winters, suspect college football, and perhaps worst of all, no Red Brick beer.". Breaking it down: Long Winters, check. Suspect College Football, check. No Red Brick, check. You see, Red Brick is a southern only treat. Take that New Belgian!! Just kidding, please bring Fat Tire to Florida!! :(

Grade the GULP! Since this is my "first" pale ale, I don't have much to grade it up against. So by default, I'm giving the Red Brick Pale Ale an 8.5. I know that's kind of high, but it's pretty good. At 5.6% ABV, and a non-existent smell department, RBPA steps up to the batters box as a very drinkable ale! Go buy some in memory of the Atlanta Falcons and the rest of the NFC south.

P.S. I know most of this post was geared towards baseball. What can I say, I'm a baseball fan at heart over football. Play Ball!!!

Ommegang - Witte

I have an apology to make. Yesterday, within the post for the Key West Southernmost Wheat, I mentioned that I would have a second review for the night. Well, sadly, I got really lazy after I posted that, and as you can tell, I did not have two posts yesterday. What can I say, after writing the review I needed to get some homework done. Being in the last semester of my graduate program, there are times when I have to put fun aside and get some real writing done. That statement is actually a good segway into something I want to blab about before tonight's review. I want to give a "shout-out-thank-you" to Molly, and Jess (of the Drink Matron blog). I appreciate the kind, positive feedback I received from yesterdays posting. Those who visit this site looking for some fun reading, I suggest you click on over the Jess' site, http://drinkmatron.com/, and follow what they do over there. The way I see it, all bloggers are in this "fight" together and we should all promote each other's blogs. So, having said that, thank you Molly, and thank you Jess! The next drink's on me!

Yesterday was BBQ chicken night in our household, and it also turned in to wheat beer night. I've had about a half dozen, or maybe a few more, wheat beers. Actually, one night, at our favorite bar, I had three different types in one sitting. Needless to say, I was "wheated out" after that night, but I think I've recovered now. Even with that, up until last night, I had never had an Ommegang offering. For those who don't know, Ommegang is based out of Cooperstown, New York. For those who don't know, that is the location of the MLB Hall of Fame. For those who don't know, baseball and beer go really well together (that's the understatement of the century). Now that you know at least three things, Ommegang specializes in Belgian wheat beers, so to say that the Witte is part of their specialty, is probably a stupid statement. But, I already said it, so the joke's on me.

Pour before you GULP! When pouring wheat beers, there is one thing you should expect: golden hues of gold. Much like the Key West S.W. from yesterday, my wife and I were greeted with a lovely golden liquid with a full foamy head. It's just saying to you "Hey, don't drink me just yet, stare for a few more minutes". Well, don't wait too long though, then it will get warm. That'd be nasty.

GULP! It up! There should be a few specific things you think about when thinking about summer. Beach, Baseball, Babes, and Beer. Specifically, wheat beer. Soft on the palette and full of summertime like flavors, Ommegang Witte does not dissatisfy in what you'd expect from a traditional Belgian wheat. Defined on the bottle as a "citrusy bouquet", you will be welcomed with the typical wheat beer offerings: citrus and yeast. While not packed with strange flavors or complex hops, Witte is a perfect companion with summertime grub - that includes my wifes special carribean BBQ sauce chicken.

Grade the GULP! Ommegang Witte is your standard Belgian wheat ale. You won't find anything out of the ordinary, so for a company saying that they specialize in Belgian brews, that's not really a shortfall. On our 1-10 GULP! scale, I'll give Witte and 7. It sits at 5.1% ABV, so have a few, eat some fish taco's or caribbean chicken and dream about the four B's coming up in just a few months (oh, and if you're a young lass, it'd just be three B's I suppose. Sorry about that. We're an equal opportunity employer I swear!).