Well folks, thankfully we are still alive and drinking. Christmas was wonderful, and New Year's Eve was a blast, but quite frankly this has been the worst apocalypse ever. However, since things did not go the way the Mayan’s planned I can continue to drink good beer. I am starting off 2013 by drowning my sorrows with Founders Breakfast Stout. The first time I tried this beer was on draft at the Auricle in Canton. Also, during my first visit there I was surprised by their craft brew selection on tap. It was a small cup with a hefty price tag, but filled with divine elixir. I suggest drinking ...
I have never had a Spanish beer. Can you name one beer made in Spain? No. I honestly thought Spaniards only made wine. You know that whole romance language thing goes hand in hand with folks who sip delicate glasses of vino, right? Yet I have in front of me two 8-oz. mini bottles of Estrella Galicia. Brewed for almost a century in Spain by Hijos de Rivera, these bottles actually crossed the pond with some friends of mine just last week. The label is simple yet bold and there is a nifty pull-tab top. The tab reminds me of the old pull tabs on such canned beers as Schlitz and Pabst. It’s c...
Summer is the season of thirst, one for which beer is tailor-made. Delicious, nutritious and refreshing, beer is a 100 percent natural way to unwind after a long, hot day. Even better, beer is cheap enough that even the craft brews rarely set you back more than a couple of bucks. From wheat beer and fruit beers to summer ales and brisk lagers, the flavor possibilities are endless, so why not break out of the mass-market mold this summer? Next time you're craving refreshment after a hot day, check out Breckenridge Brewery’s Summer Bright, and follow these simple steps: Chill. Sip. Repeat. ...
This is the first beer I’ve ever had that comes in a “nanokeg,” Sixpoint Brewery’s term for the 16-ounce cans that package many of their brews. Yeah, it’s kinda cool. I got my Sweet Action at the Geisen Haus by accident. Still working on that whole beer card thing, I asked for a number 58. They were out of it, so they brought me one they think is “a lot like the number 58.” Thanks to the folks at Geisen Haus for making a substitution that was actually awesome. I examined the “nanokeg” and read the poetic beer description on the back. (Meanwhile, my wife is eyeballing me f...
I’m always trying to find a better beer to review each month, but lately I find I’m having a harder time deciding. (Could I be developing more discriminating tastes?) I finally found this month’s selection after many trips to my usual beer haunts. It was the label that got me: It depicts a disturbing hellhound coughing up sheep parts. With a label like that, it had to be either really rough or really awesome. Heller Hound is a Maibock/Helles, a favorite style of mine. Usually, when I mention the word “Maibock,” people think I’m talking about a foreign car — but it’s actually a...
Geisen Haus is a wonderful place: good food, cool atmosphere and always a tasty beer to try. I recently went there for grub and tossed my beer card on the table, saying, “Just give me the next beer on the list.” According to my card, that was #30. I wasn’t too concerned about the specific beer — I’ve had my card since 2006 and am still working on filling it up. In fact many of the beers have changed and I had to re-drink a few to get caught up. Why? To enjoy the beer, of course! (Also, you get a nifty personalized G.H. stein.) As for the #30 brew: Soon a large bottle, not unlik...
I’ve heard about this beer for well over a year now and I’m finally getting around to trying it. This one was calling to me — I just had to convince my local retailer it was well worth getting some on the shelf. Brooklyn Brewery Sorachi Ace is a Saison, or Belgian farmhouse ale. It’s brewed with sorachi ace hops, a relatively new and little-used hop variety created in Japan. Perhaps it will gain more popularity, and I think with good cause. I find that Japanese brews tend to be light and more on the sweet, fruity-funk side of beer, and Brooklyn Brewery’s use of this variety shows tha...
This year saw the release of Dogfish Head’s latest one-off creation, Bitches Brew. The beer was previewed at the SAVOR beer-and-foodie convention in Washington, DC this June and its official debut even garnered a feature on the Discovery Channel’s new show, Brew Masters. Brewed to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the seminal Miles Davis album by the same name, Bitches Brew is as unique as Dogfish Head’s motto, “Off-centered beer for off-centered people”. Bitches Brew has been tricky to acquire since its first batch ended, though the Dogfish Head website advertises that a sec...
"Inspired by Paul Revere's midnight ride, we rebelled against the British style IPA, embraced the more aggressive American version and then recast it in bold, brave, defiant black. Our Black IPA is a Declaration of Independence from the tyranny of the expected." 21st Amendment Brewery San Francisco, CA Yes I realize I should be creating this review entirely on my own but I really dig the above quote from 16th Amendment. It really fits the bill, especially when you consider that this beer comes in a can. Yep! Finally a really good craft beer that comes in a 16oz. aluminum can! Cans...
I have always been intrigued by Scotland’s legend of the Loch Ness Monster. I like the idea that there might yet be some fantastical beast out there that can strike awe and fear into the hearts of man. The disappointing part of it is that it only seems to be a larger than life myth. I am the first to admit I tend to exaggerate when I tell a story. Most folks do and when it comes to legends like this the tales grow larger with each telling. Lake Eire has had its fair share tof wild tales from burning rivers to the threat of ravenous Chinese carp. So it’s no surprise that Gr...
