Not another pumpkin ale!? I know I have all ready done one. However, I think Fat Jack is the undisputed king of pumpkin ales and by far the best I have had. I wanted to share this lovely chub of a brew with you all in hopes that you might find some as soon as possible. Even if you can't track one down you will have been enlightened to its existence and this is a good thing. I bought two 22-ounce bottles and poured one into a chilled pint glass. An active cascading, billowing pour yields close to three finger's worth of densely packed, slightly creamy, light khaki-colored head. Excellent ret...
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...
Nothing evokes fall better than smell of burning leaves — or perhaps a sip of Sam Adams’s latest seasonal beer. The new entry in the Harvest Collection 12-pack is a strangely satisfying brew. It’s well-named too. Bonfire Rauchbier tastes like a bonfire, as though the beer has been left all day in a hot smokehouse. It’s hard to believe a beer can contain this much smokiness, but that quality is due to the specialty smoked malts. Rauchbiers, which date to the 16th century, were made with malts that had been dried for days over beechwood fires. It’s typically of dark color and has so...
Starting today and running through Oct. 22, will be a slew of events each and everyday. Among the highlight are: “Grains vs. Grapes: The Ultimate Match-up,” an official keg tapping and four-course dinner, on Friday, October 14 from 7-10 p.m. at Crowne Plaza in downtown Cleveland (777 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland 44113). The evening will be hosted by special guests Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery and Marianne Franz of the American Wine School. Oliver and Frantz will discuss a selection of wines and craft beers that they have paired with a multi-course menu created by the Michael Symon...
This month’s craft-beer review comes from the Goose Island Brewery in Chicago. The brew, Honker’s Ale, is one I’ve unfortunately had trouble finding regularly. This time I lucked out and found a few sixers at a grocery with a good selection of crafts and imports. Goose Island is a great brewery that makes a quality product. According to them, Honker’s is “inspired by visits to English country pubs” and “combines a fruity hop aroma with a rich malt middle to create a perfectly balanced beer.” All well and good, but what do I think? I poured this English-style bitter out o...
Grabbing a cold 12-ounce bottle of Victory Brewing’s Hop Devil Ale out of the fridge last night, I knew I would be in for a treat: The label on this fine IPA features a smiling devil’s face, cleverly crafted from the image of a perfectly harvestable hop. Smiling, devilish and so tempting, I just had to drink it — and I did. Poured into an unchilled pint glass, this microbrew foams a lot and leaves a billowy two-finger head in all its majesty for a good two to three minutes before settling down into something a little more manageable. A golden rusty copper color burned bright in my ...
One of my favorite moments in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” involves a mob of peasants who have captured a "witch", who appears to be a young woman dressed up in some strange oddities to make her look like one. The mob wants to burn her at the stake, and calls upon Sir Bedevere to give her a trial: Sir Bedevere: What makes you think she's a witch? Peasant: Well, she turned me into a newt! Sir Bedevere: A newt? Peasant: ...I got better. Crowd: Burn her anyway! Brewed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Monty Python comedy team, Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale is n...
“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 21st 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 ...
"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...
