Irene couldn’t keep us away from Nags Head this week!! We got here a couple of days later, but we came to meet up with friends and family who all love good beer – so our fridge is like a dream come true!
I’ll be taking pictures of these delicious beers and posting some great cap pictures once we get back.
Enjoy your week… and cheers!
We stocked up on delicious beer for our beach trip this week… but it’s turned out to be great hurricane supplies as well! Last night we had a Palo Santo from Dogfish Head… yum! Here you can see some Ovila, the Sierra collaboration – second addition, which we’re going to try to hold out on opening! The first Ovila that I tried was the dubbel; it was malty and delicious! This second Ovila is a Saison and I’m eager to try it. I just hope this Saison isn’t too funky. The third bottle in the series (which I don’t think has been released yet) is a Quad – I have to get one of those!
I hope everyone else prepared well for this storm; I feel bad for anyone housebound without beer!
Cheers!
I posted about Blue Moon Brewery’s White Ale not too long ago – and it was no secret that I didn’t like it. In the very bottom of our beer refridgerator, was a lonely Blue Moon bottle. Initially, I thought it was a nasty White Ale, left over from some get together, but the bottle said “Full Moon”. Intrigued, I popped the cap and tried it. This was a Winter Ale, one of my favorite styles, so it was rich with warm spices and savory malts. There was a little bit of oxidation, but that was probably because it’s Summer, and obviously that beer had been in there forever! I shouldn’t have been so quick to write off the Blue Moon Brewery, as this beer was pretty good; I stand by my statement that the White Ale sucks though.
When Winter arrives, I will give their new Winter a chance – at least one.
Cheers!
Flying Dog represented with a display of fresh hops, stickers and lots of great beer – at the Mashout Festival this weekend (see my previous post for an explanation of Mashout). They had two delicious brews on tap, “Raging Bitch” and ” Gonzo”.
The “Raging Bitch” is a Belgian Style IPA which has great body and a lot of hops! I loved the malty Belgian taste that this beer had and the hoppiness to make this a well balanced beer. I do believe I filled my glass up a couple of times. The name, in my opinion, is pretty funny – but I do know they’ve received some grief about it; come on people – it’s beer – have one and lighten up!
The “Gonzo” is an Imperial Porter and full of rich roasted malt. Think strong coffee, with alcohol! There is a bit more hops in this Porter than in others I’ve tried – but from trying their other beers, I think Flying Dog just loves the hops!
I’m impressed that Flying Dog donated some of its beers and merchandise to this Maryland event. While it’s an event of homebrewers – most craft breweries were started by homebrewers!
Cheers!
My husband and I used to come to “Mashout” (think Woodstock for Beer Brewers) each year, until we got pregnant with our daughter. This year, at the age of five, we’ve decided our daughter is old enough to attend with us.
200 people, on the top of a mountain, sharing homebrew, food and getting to know one another. We just arrived and I have a feeling it will be a great weekend.
Cheers!!
I went out with a group of people last night and one of the guys ordered a Guinness. We were at a great beer bar with tons of options on tap, so I just asked him if he’d tried any other stouts. He was rather offended with my suggestion and let me know that Guinness is his all time favorite beer, even though he’s tried many. Really?? His favorite?? Surely this can’t be true!
It’s been so long since I’ve tried a Guinness, that I decided to have one myself. I’d forgotten how delicious it really is! It’s bitter and roasty with a creamy head, but not to overly filling – a really good stout! They got it right when they created this beer, so if you’re holding out for St. Patty’s Day to have one – break free to enjoy one sooner. Oh, and a 12-ounce bottle comes in at 126 calories – so if you’re looking to maintain that “girlish figure”, it’s a smart choice!
Cheers!
My husband was out of town this past week, working but also living it up like a bachelor! I’ve wanted this “Fort” t-shirt from Dogfish Head for a couple of years now, so when he was at the brewery, he picked it up – so sweet! Atleast when he drinks without me, he still thinks about me! 😉
It’s no secret that Dogfish Head is one of my favorite breweries; I love so many of their beers! From the Red & White to the Palo Santo – they are all really delicious! This Fort though, is really special. Just imagine this – lots of raspberries purred and added into a belgian type beer… yes, it sounds delicious – and it is!! AND… I love my awesome new shirt!
Evidently here’s another beer you can’t get in VA (what’s up VA??). A friend of ours picked up this beer when traveling to NJ and was kind enough to share.
Long Trail Brewing Company is in Vermont and prides itself on not only making great beer, but being environmentally conscious while doing so. From feeding their spent grain to local dairy cows (which I bet those cows LOVE) to recovering kettle steam to use for heat – this company is serious about “EcoBrewing”. I’m always impressed when a company goes out of their way to try to conserve, especially when it’s so easy to be wasteful and claim it’s “not our duty”. You go Long Trail!!
So, they’ve got my vote for all of their environmental efforts and their beer is quite tasty as well! This Centennial Red is part of their limited edition “Brewmaster Series” and the first beer I’ve ever tasted from this brewery. It’s called a “Red”, but it’s so rich, sweet and malty – that it could easily be mistaken for a Barley Wine (which is totally okay with me – as I do love the Barley Wines). I can totally taste the alcohol in this brew and did I mention the awesome maltiness? Heaven!
There’s an Imperial Porter included in their “Brewmaster Series” which I must get my hands on. Looks like I’ll be heading North sometime soon.
Cheers!
While in the OBX this weekend, we stopped for some brews we hadn’t tried; Breckenridge IPA “Lucky U” was one of them. As you can see by the number of caps I have, we kinda liked it. 😉 It wasn’t as hoppy as I expected, being an IPA – but in my case, that’s good! I prefer beers that are hoppy, but yet well balanced with malt flavor. “Lucky U” delivered that nice crispy hop flavor without going overboard.
I do believe we were the “lucky” ones, picking this tasty brew! Having this beer as my first Breckenridge beer, I’m excited to try their other flavors – like their Autumn Ale! Cheers!
I just love these cans from 21st Amendment Brewing! There’s nothing like a great beer that has beautiful packaging.
A fellow blogger recommended that I try this “Back in Black” brew, and I’m glad he did. When I saw it was a “Black IPA”, I wasn’t sure at first, as I didn’t know how a hoppy but yet porter style beer would meld. Surprisingly, these strong flavors actually reached a smooth balance in this craft brew. The can was full of roasty goodness, finished with lots of hearty hop flavor. Yum!
A Cap A Day 