Dunerbrew Reveiw - 2013 Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout

Note:  With the 2015 release of the Woot Stout, there is chatter lately revolving around this beer.  If you happened to find it I hope you purchased a bottle or two, as indications are they are/were moving fast off the shelves.  The following review was written in July 2013 when the Woot Stout was initially released.  My friend Anti-Hero V and I decided to each write a review and publish each other's on their sites.  This is the review I wrote two years ago.

What is so special about Wil Wheaton?  And who is he anyway?  And why do any of us care?  And while we are at it, how did he get this gig, doing a collaboration beer with Stone Brewing?  And Farking?

Wheaton played Wesley Crusher on Star Trek, The Next Generation.  Oh, cool.  Yeah I remember now, we used to make fun of him, the whiny kid.  What was his purpose on the show again?  Wow, so a supporting role in a successful sci-fi TV show must make you worthy of brewing a beer.  Turns out he is more than this.  A big internet and social media nerd, he happens to be a homebrewer too.  Ah, the beer connection.  OK.  And I can identify somewhat with the whole social media nerd thing.  I prefer the term geek.

Farking?  The other leg of this tripod collaboration is Drew Curtis, the creator of fark.com.  OK.  I've heard of that site and visited it a few times, I think.  I've never heard of him and still don't know what is so special about Fark or Drew Curtis (that is his name, right?).  Oh, I could do some additional research, but I'm diving into this 13% ABV beer, and research now just seems like to much hard work.

Of course, without Stone Brewing, this beer wouldn't exist.  I wish I could grow my hair and a big beard like Greg Koch, but in all honesty I kinda liked his clean cut look better.  When did the hippy revolution rear it's ugly head in the 21st Century?  I love Stone's stuff, and their story is a great one.  (I love when hard work pays off in the form of success.)  I became excited about this beer only through more social media interaction.

I promise to get into the review...  If the difficulty in obtaining a beer is in direct proportion to the quality and taste of the beer, then this will be one of the best beers in the world (Westvleteren notwithstanding).  Last weekend, the local ABC Fine Wine and Spirits store said they had 4 cases that would go on sale Monday.  Great!  I showed up Monday...no they can't sell them until Thursday. OK.  I stopped by over lunch on Thursday, only to find out that the rumor was true.  It turns out, their cases went to some Mom-n-Pop store in a nearby rural county.  "No sir, this beer is a bit different than Bud Light."

So I called Total Wine.  They had them and would hold two for me.  Great!  I show up to the store on Friday, to find they didn't have them for me and were all sold out.  It turns out I inadvertently called the other store in town, another several miles away. (I blame Siri.)  Ugh.  Off I go to the other location, and like magic they had two bottles with my name on it.  This better be the best beer in the world.

And the beer?

It poured black with a tan leather looking head. (It was so special, I put the video of it on Instagram.)

A little banana on the nose.  Fairly nutty type aroma...perhaps the pecans.  It is quite inviting.

The beer is thick, malty, complex.  I sense raisins, and those other items associated with a dark heavy high alcohol Imperial Stouts.  There is a lot going on.  It is rather clean for a stout.  Alcohol taste is kept in check, and overall it is balanced for the style.  I don't taste the pecans much, or maybe some.  I think that tangy finish is due to the rye.  And the wheat gives some body.  Wheaton...wheat.  I guess it has to be that way.

As it warms, the finish becomes more interesting, with a lifting sensation of sorts.  It's good!  Typical of some of the better Imperial Stouts I've had.  The finish is a little odd, typical for the style.

I ask myself, if Wesley Crusher can make a good beer, how much better would the beer be that Jean-Luc Picard had a hand in?

Collaborations can become gimmicky, and this is a perfect example.  But dang it if they didn't put it out there and everyone was quick to jump on and buy it all up.  And I'm one of the suckers.

If nothing else in brewing, I've learned patience, and in 2-3 years when I pull out my second bottle of W00tstout for a bottle sharing, they will all look at me in amazement and we will all enjoy this beer with age.

STOP THE PRESSES!  My wife just brought me some peanut butter M&Ms.  "Try these then drink the beer."  She discovered an amazement.  WOW!!!  It's the crispiness of the candy coating.  Quite the pairing.  This is a great beer!  This is terrific beer!

We've now discovered the previously unknown secret of Wil Wheaton's success.  It can be found in a little candy which "melts in the mouth, not in the hands."

Darren U
07-27-2013
@galileosbane (Twitter and Instagram)
dunerbrew.com

3 tips to finding that special release beer

In the January and February months every year there is the Hopslam hype.  If you aren't either lucky or well prepared, you will have a hard time getting a 6 pack.  Two years ago I missed out.  Both last year and this year, I was able to score a pack.

Is the beer good, yes?  Is it as fantastic as the hype... maybe.  But in the craft beer world, you can easily be classified as one who found some or one who missed out.  So here are three tips to make sure you are able to pick up the rare and hard to find beer.

1. Know what day your store gets the delivery from the distributor.  Get to know the beer manager and ask about the upcoming beers and special releases.

2. Network.  Check social media, get engaged with friends on social media, and let them know what you are looking for.

3. Ask at the counter.  Look behind the counter.  Often the limited release hot sellers will be placed behind the counter and sold as an "ask for it" basis.  Don't plan on buying a whole case though, as they will be smart to let more people participate...plus if you are limited to one pack, you may purchase something additional in the store at the same time.

(Serious beer geeks will also get to know the distributors and ask about what they get and when.  This will give a heads up as to when that specialty beer will hit retail.)

Here is an example.  The local ABC store here gets their deliveries on Thursdays to sell new items on Friday.  I began seeing Hopslam posts in January from some of the northern states and started asking the manager, Steve, when he expected it to be in.  I know that it would be possible at any week now.  I asked a friend to let me know if he saw it.  I received a text Friday afternoon, went to the store, and voila.  6 pack for me.

They received 8 cases only.  I posted about the find on social media, and heard back from several people that they were able to get a pack from the same store only because of my heads up about it.  So, if I may add a #4 to the list, it is this.  4. Share information and reciprocate.  It's about the enjoyment as well as helping each other out.

Cheers!

A video about beer. What is there not to love?

A friend of mine saw this and posted to my FB wall.  It's worth the 7 and a half minutes for sure.  The content is interesting (it's about beer of course it's interesting) but what really makes it effective is his enthusiasm and excitement as he talks.  Enough of my commentary, check it out!

How to impress your friends by selecting a good beer for the holiday party.

Cars pack the parking lot at the local ABC Fine Wine ant Spirits this time of year.  A lot of people are celebrating and drinking more than the "normal times" of the year.  Wine, champagne, specialty spirits, and remember Craft Beer.  I say forget the rest and focus on Craft Beer.

But some may not know what to get.  If you want to impress your friends at a party, you need to bring the right beer.  A Newcastle will get yawns, and anything that says "Bud" on it will potentially get you kicked out of the party.  If you lack a vast array of beer knowledge, it's ok.  Just don't let it show.  Here are some tips which will help in your selection process, guaranteed to impress your friends.

• If you see one in a 22oz bottle, or better yet with a cork on the top and it is $15 or more...  It's obviously good.  Buy it!
• If a beer has an outrageously cool or even sinister looking label on it, it is on the edgy side of the craft beer movement.  Buy it!
• If the beer boasts of "triple hopped" and "great pilsner taste".  Don't buy it.  It is probably closer to flavored water than beer.
• If it has a year on it and says special or limited release, buy it!  It may only be there for a few days or even hours.  You may be the lucky one to snag that aweome specialty beer that everyone wants.  If you find one with 2012 on it, get it.  You can say you've "aged" it specially for the occasion.
• If the bottle says "Imperial" anywhere on it.  Buy it!
• If it says White Chocolate Moo Hoo on it.  Buy it!  And give it to me.

There you go.  You are well on your way to being the life of the party.  ;-)

Cheers!

Craft Beer Infographic (makes me thirsty)

It had my attention right away at "nearly half (45%) of consumers would try more craft beers if they knew more about them."

I received an email request to check out a new Infographic related to Craft Beer and was asked if I'd be interested to share it here on the site.  Sure, I'll check it out.  And much more than just the Infographic, we were provided with an additional write up as well.  Check it out and then keep scrolling.

The rise of the craft beer industry

More and more people throughout the United States and the world are developing a passion for both craft beer and also brewing their own beer.  Consumers are less satisfied with generic light beer from the big 3 (Bud, Coors, Miller) than they have been previously.  The growth of the craft beer industry and micro brewing has helped contribute to this.  Beer geeks like to try different beers from different areas consisting of different styles.  They like to share their experiences with these beers whether it is in the form of a blog, or a story to a beer drinking friend, to checking in on untapped. It is tough to ignore the growth of the craft beer industry and how it has changed consumer’s views on beer.  The students and professors at the Hospitality Program at Kendall College in Chicago took notice of these trends and found themselves wanting to learn more.  The result of their curiosity is the craft beer infographic that looked at several factors in the craft beer industry including; pairing food and craft beer together, job growth and sales growth within the industry, the growth of the industry as a whole, along with different demographics views on craft beer.  Some of the more interesting points in the infographic are noted below:

·         A third of all consumers (36%) drink craft beer.  This number may not seem that high, but a third of the market is impressive when you think that the big 3 (Coors, Bud, Miller) control about 90% of total market sales.

·         Older generations are not quite as receptive to trying craft beer as their younger counterparts.  32 percent of baby boomers say that they enjoy the taste of craft beer.  43% of Millennials enjoy the taste of craft beer.   I think that number will rise even higher in the future as younger generations are exposed to more choices.

·         Craft beer is really fun and delicious to pair with food.  Different beer styles go better with certain types of food, so it is important to know what type of food pairs well with certain beer styles.  Salads go well with light beer choices like light beers and saisons. Deserts and sweets go better with darker beer choices like chocolate stouts and barleywines.

·         Craft beer provides jobs. The craft beer industry has seen strong growth in terms of employment throughout the past decade. The craft beer industry employs over 103,585 people in the United States alone. During the past 13 years the number of food and beverage jobs has jumped nearly 25%.  When compared to 4% for overall employment growth over that same time period, that number really stands out.

·         Sales of craft beer continue to rise.  Back in 2007 craft beer sales equaled roughly 5.7.  Experts predict that by 2017 craft beer sales will top 40 billion.  That is a huge growth number in a short period of time.

See also the page on the Kendall College website with yet additional information.  Thanks to Matthew Z at Digital Third Coast for the suggestion and above write up.

Now who is interested in a Craft Beer?

Epcot Food & Wine - Craft Beers: Craft or Crafty?

I really don't want to be the critic, and I'm excited about craft beers at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival.  Of course Disney is big business, and it seems being big business is required to participate in their events... at least partially.  I guess it can be understood.  Lot of people, lots of dollars, lots of marketing opportunity.

Of the Craft Beers listed, the following fall into the definition of Craft Beer, as defined by the Brewers Association as "small, independent and traditional."  The list below is marked as either CRAFT or NOT CRAFT, based on the list of Craft Breweries in 2012 (see also the PDF link from the BA story).  But all these should be Craft Beer, right?

At Hops and Barley:

• Samuel Adams, Boston Lager - CRAFT
• Samuel Adams, Octoberfest - CRAFT
• Samuel Adams, Cherry Wheat - CRAFT
• Rogue, Chocolate Stout - CRAFT

Terra: 

• Napa Smith Organic IPA - CRAFT

Florida Local:

• Cigar City Brewing, Florida Cracker - CRAFT
• Orlando Brewing, Sun  Shade Organic Pale Ale - CRAFT

Hawaii:  

• Kona Brewing, Pipeline Porter - NOT CRAFT
• Kona Brewing, Big Wave Golden Ale - NOT CRAFT

Craft Beers:

• Dogfish Head Brewery, Namaste - CRAFT
• Abita Brewing Company, Fall Fest - CRAFT
• Leinenkugels Seasonal Shandy, Summer Shandy and Orange Shandy (maybe a transition somewhere along the way) - NOT CRAFT
• Florida Beer Company, Devil's Triangle - CRAFT
• New Belgium Brewing Company, Fat Tire - CRAFT
• Widmer Brothers Brewing, Alchemy Ale - NOT CRAFT
• Red Hook, Audible Ale - NOT CRAFT
• Sierra Nevada, Torpedo Extra IPA - CRAFT

Like a wolf in sheep's clothing, the Not Craft beers have been labelled as "crafty" by the Brewers Association.  Big Beer business trying to get in the craft market by looking like Craft beers.  Some craft breweries have been bought by Big Beer and others are blatantly covering up the fact they are owned by big beer.  It's the best of the worst and the worst of the worst.  But what do we have here?

Let's start with Leinenkugel..  It is owned by SABMiller.  Check out the list of SABMiller brands here..  It is neither independent nor small.  Traditional...perhaps.

Kona Brewing is part of the Craft Brewers Alliance (CBA).  Also part of the CBA is Widmer Brothers, and Red Hook.  That is three more of the NOT CRAFT (or Crafty) list above.

We haven't talked about the Belgian beers here.  The Belgian beers are seen as craft because of the intense flavors, high alcohol percentages and simply not being lite lagers.  There are many wonderful Belgian beers to select.  Of the ones at this festival, every single last one of them is owned by ABInBev.  Big Beer.  Not Craft.  Check out their full portfolio here.  Impressive...but not craft.

My count give us 11 Craft Beers and 5 Not Craft Beers.  Of the Craft Beers Destination we have 5 Craft and 3 Not Craft.  63% Craft Beer at the Craft Beers Destination...not too bad.

And this may be yet another topic, but the world of Craft Beer is so much broader than the sampling available here.  Where are the Double IPAs, or the Imperial Stouts.  The many nuances to be found in the experimental nature of Craft Beer is simply missing from this list.  But it is meant for the masses.

Food & Wine Festival

We made it down to Epcot for the opening day of the 2013 International Food and Wine Festival.  As always, it's a good time.  We are happy to have annual passes, because there is just no way to see it all and experience it all in one day.  This will be our 4th consecutive year of enjoyment, where we've planned and scheduled around time to attend.  The new "destinations" are where we will begin, to see what they have, and then there are always some of the favorites.

But let me slow down.  What is this Festival of which you speak?  How does it work?  What might I expect?

Ah, I can help with some of that.  Disney's Epcot consists of two sections, the Future World, with attractions and rides themed around life in this future Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT).  The International Gateway will take you country's section of Epcot, where the 11 featured countries are situated around a lake, with the walkway making a complete loop.

Starting counterclockwise (turn to your right and walk) you will find Canada, The United Kingdom, France, Morocco, Japan, America, Italy, Germany, China, Norway, and Mexico.  For the Festival, additional little buildings line the pathway, each offering food and beverage selections based on the theme of that Destination.  Lines form, to purchase the items, usually small selections ranging from $3.00 - $7.50 each.  You will pay, then take your receipt to the counter where they will hand you your food.

Little tables are set up throughout the park.  Walk up to a table, and take a few minutes to enjoy your treat.  There are a lot of options at the more than 40 Destinations.  The complete official list can be found here.

This site featured previews to the Beers at the festival.  Check out also 2013 Food and Wine Festival Beer Preview, and the Classic International Styles in Part two.  And while you are at it, check out Part Three, about Craft Beers.  There are some good items here with Craft Beers, but all in all it is more Crafty than Craft.  I guess it isn't easy being a small guy and getting into a big event like this.

I need to break out the Craft Beers into the true categories.  But I don't want to jump into spoiling the fun...at least not just yet.  Know this, you are doing well when you support Cigar City and Dogfish Head.

Craft Beers of the Epcot Food & Wine Festival (Part 3)

This is the latest in the 3 Part Series on the beers for the upcoming 2013 International Food & Wine Festival at Epcot.

We've reviewed the Destinations featuring what we've termed the Obligatory Country of Origin Beers.  We've examined the Classic International Styles beers to be found in Germany, Belgium and in the UK.  Now it's time to talk about Craft Beer.  Or should be be a little more precise, American Craft Beer.

There is a tendency to poo poo on American beers, but we need to look at the growing fringe of that industry.  I'm not talking about Budweiser, Miller or Coors here.  We are talking about beers crafted by people who love beer, who brew traditionally, who use quality ingredients, who are independent.  There are quite a variety of beers present this year.  Of the 30 Destinations for 2013, 14 of them feature some sort of beer.  And 5 feature what we've categorized as Craft Beers.  Let's check them out.

Craft Beer

Hops & Barley:  You'd expect beer at this Destination.  Hops & Barley is found in the American Adventure Pavilion, on the far side (or center) from the gateway to the worlds entrance to the countries' section of Epcot.  It is obvious that there is a contract with Samuel Adams here, and throughout the year Epcot serves the Sam Adams Seasonal beer at the Fife & Drum kiosk by the American Gardens Theater.  Let's look at the list.

Cheers!  Holding up our 17th Anniversary Festival Beer

• Samuel Adams Boston Lager - Yes it technically is Craft Beer, and actually a nice beer with flavor.  Their commercials don't lie.
• Samuel Adams Octoberfest - The seasonal release.  Looking forward to drinking this in October...not in August.  (It hit the retail shelves this past week.)
• Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat - This seems a favorite of those tinkering with craft beer.  In the past years it's been poured from the bottle and I expect the same this year.
• Rogue Chocolate Stout - Hey, this is new.  And Rogue is a true Craft Beer brewery, from across the nation in Oregon.  You are not a craft beer lover if you don't have an appreciation of a good chocolate stout.  Goes great with dessert!  Let's check out their Chocolate Stout.  Beer Advocate rates this with a 93, which is pretty stout (ha hapun intended).  At 6.0% ABV and 69 IBUs, this fits the American Stout category pretty well.  Of course, it will be dark, flavorful.  Rolled oats is listed as an ingredient, so it should have a fairly smooth mouthfeel.  I wonder if it tastes much like chocolate though.  Not expecting Samual Smith's Chocolate Stout sweetness with this one.  (I don't think I've had this exact beer before.)

Anniversary Festival Beer:  Each year there is a special brew just for the event.  Last year's 17th Anniversary Festival Beer was brewed by Samuel Adams.  It was a Chocolate Bock.  And as of now, I don't see the Festival Beer on the list.  I bet it will be features at the Hops & Barley again.  What will it be?

The Hops & Barley kiosk featured seven Samuel Adams beers last year, plus an Angry Orchard Hard Cider (also owned by Samuel Adams).  I think only 4 were on tap, and the rest in bottles.

Terra: This is the Earth centered Destination, 2013 being it's second year, with organic and grown type food.  Featured at this location is the Napa Smith Organic IPA.


Florida Local: This Destination is a relative newcomer as well in the last couple of years.  Along with locally grown food selections, this destination has some local craft beers on the menu.

• Cigar City Brewing, Florida Cracker - This marks the first time Cigar City is featured here.  One of my favorite breweries, and arguably the pride of the state when it comes go Craft Beer.  This Belgian style Wit Bier.  Light, refreshing, effervescent, this will be welcomed on the hot Florida autumn afternoons.
• Orlando Brewing, Sun  Shade Organic Pale Ale - I haven't had this one.  I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of Orlando Brewing.  I think they are getting better, and they've always had a focus on organic brews.

Last year this Destination featured two beers from the Florida Beer Company, out of Melbourne.  Those beers were the Florida Lager and the Key West Southernmost Wheat (Florida Beer Company isn't out totally).  I think this year's selection is an improvement, as it shows a bit more diversity among the Florida breweries.  

Hawaii:  This is a fun Destination for food as well.  The Pork Slider is great!  From Hawaii, you would expect nothing less than Kona Brewing beers.  The featured Kona beers last year at this Destination were the Pipeline Porter and the Big Wave Golden Ale.  2013 will be the same, if the list can be trusted.  These are two solid choices. 

Craft Beers: Ah, yes.  This is the way to start off the day at the Food & Wine Festival.  As you walk across the bridge into the World Showcase, this is the Destination you will come to first, located on the right side.  Get in line, get your craft beer, then walk around to the right.  You will see Hawaii soon and then the UK further down...  A good beer trail of sorts.

Eight craft beers are to be featured, and they are offering two different "beer flights" allowing for even further tasting.  Let's list the beers.

• Dogfish Head Brewery, Namaste
• Abita Brewing Company, Fall Fest
• Leinenkugels Seasonal Shandy, Summer Shandy and Orange Shandy (maybe a transition somewhere along the way)
• Florida Beer Company, Devil's Triangle
• New Belgium Brewing Company, Fat Tire
• Widmer Brothers Brewing, Alchemy Ale
• Red Hook, Audible Ale
• Sierra Nevada, Torpedo Extra IPA

I like the list.  There are a few differences from last year, and I believe it is an improvement.  It's not the stellar list a Craft Beer Geek would desire, but you have to remember, this is for the masses, and a good sampling of true Craft Beer will contribute to the growing enthusiasm for good beer.

From this list... What is missing?  What would you like to see more of?  Who or what shouldn't be on there at all?

I'm interested to dive into this list more and look into some of those questions, to talk about the breweries and the beers...to talk about why this list is a good list as a whole for this year.

Here we have 17 of the 41 beers listed as Craft Beer.  Not a bad selection.  Let's get excited about this year's Festival.

New Belgium Brewing Now Availabile in Florida

New Belgium beers are in Florida.  Long awaited and anticipated, we are now free to partake in the Fat Tire, without  traveling to distant lands.

I made some time yesterday to stop by the ABC store to check it out.

I was quite enthused to find the main initial offering beers were on sale in 22oz bombers for 2 for $5.00.  For those from Alabama, that is $2.50 each.  Not a bad price.  The other day the Store Manager let me know he was expecting to have a few cased of Lips of Faith too.  I searched through the Craft Beer section of the store and found a small sampling of these set out...with no price listed.  Would it be crazy expensive?  I didn't care too much.  The day prior I could not purchase this, and now it is available.  Immediate demand.

The store can be dangerous for me and my wallet, so my wife reminded me that today's trip needed to be more like a $20 trip and not the normal $50 trip.  I hesitantly agreed.  (Imagine how happy I was to see the $2.50 price.)

The initial beers consist of 5 of the 9 year round brews.

• Fat Tire
• Ranger IPA
• Trippel
• Sunshine Wheat
• Shift Pale Lager (in cans) 

I've had the Fat Tire and Ranger before, so I picked up a few of the others (and a Fat Tire) and grabbed one of the Lips of Faith Dieu du Ciel ($8.50 for the 22oz) as well.

Cheers!

#IPAday is one week away!

You have heard about #IPAday, haven't you?  No, not iPad Day.  IPA Day!  It is August 1st, and 2013 will mark the third ever IPA Day.  Oh boy, another holiday!  But what is really special about this day is it's grass roots origination.  Started by craft beer lovers (IPA lovers) through social media, the day has really taken off.  Hopes are for this year to be the biggest IPA Day yet.

How do you celebrate?  There aren't many rules really.  Drink an IPA, and tell the world about it via social media with the hashtag #IPAday.  Take a photo and tag it #IPAday.  Organize a get together with like minded IPA fans, or even bring along someone who doesn't yet know they are an IPA fan.

Read more about it here at CraftBeer.com.

Some may say this is just another silly holiday and claim that as true craft beer lovers every day should be #IPAday.  Who will join with an #IPAeveryday hashtag?  After all, most days are better with an IPA.  Yet I still will celebrate this day.

Cheers!

Homebrewing & Craft Beer - Yeah, it really is this cool!

Well, we have yet to plan a vacation around craft beer... at least not completely...yet.

I found a video which inspired this post.

What is at the heart of homebrewing and craft beer obsession?  My quick answer.  Taste, passion, artistry, community.  And that may be somewhat of a chronology.

The realization of tasty beers turns into a passion for the different styles and knowledge of those beers.  Brewing brings in the artistry of creating such wonders.  With brewing come opportunities to further develop insights into ingredients, flavors, etc. (it's like discovering what is under the hood).  Finding like-minded people from which to learn and share completes the process, or it actually helps to begin the process again, but in a much more profound way.  Face it, we as humans thrive in community.

This is at least the way it happened for me.  I started off as the Lone Brewer-wanna-be, just under two years ago.  Wow, and two weeks exactly from today will be the first meeting of the new Brew Club I created.  (I find it hard to take the credit, but really it wouldn't have happened without initiating a few conversations, obtaining commitments, forming the Facebook Group, and them making some initial fliers.)  Check it out!  Brew Club of Seminole County

OK, you've read that.  Now watch this.  It really is this cool!

What can I say? The place is good to me.

A new location has been added to the list. To which list do I refer?  I could call it the "Relative Time and Space" list.  This is the list of places in which time becomes somewhat blurry ("timey wimey stuff").  When I go to such a place the expected return times are rather, should we say, relative.

My wife keeps a list of such places.  Here is an example.  "Honey, I'm going to stop by the Brewshop.  I just have to pick up one thing.  It'll take about 5 minutes."  This has been translated to mean, "I'll see you in about an hour...and a half."  And why?  Because they are good to me at the Sanford Homebrew Shop.  I get to talking beer and brewing and the time simply melts away.

The new addition to the list?  ABC Fine Wine & Spirits in Lake Mary.  I get there, and from the beginning the sheer amount of craft beer choices almost puts me into a decision coma.  What is worse, if I begin talking with the Manager about the newest craft beer additions or to a Distributor behind his/her sampling table, then heaven help us all.  Might as well plan on the dinner getting cold.

We've been married a long time, and she is a smart woman.  "Honey, I'm stopping by ABC on my way home."  She has learned this means to add another 30-40 minutes to my commute time.  What can I say, the place is good to me.

And yesterday was no exception.  It's a good thing I had a coupon...too many good finds from which to choose. (Sadly, I did have to leave some behind.)

Oh, there is a coffee stout missing from the photo.  That was my penance of sorts.

Life is short, talk about and drink good beer!

Cans or Bottles?

Craft beer in a can.  It's all the new rage!

At first look, it may seem crazy.  Why would anyone want their craft beer to look more like the bland cheap light lagers brewed by the "Big Beer" companies?  Or is it just a case of liking the low tech, such as the punk music with a true "hooked up a mic in the garage" sound, or the hipster kids pretending PBR is great tasting? Perhaps this shift is economic in nature?  There has to be a reason, right?

Crazy?  I don't know.  It does give the opportunity to use a larger graphic on the packaging, which can have benefits.

Ready to dive in?  The enemies of beer are light and oxygen.  Lets look at these two enemies and how each of the packaging options deal with them.

Why does beer come in brown bottles?  The ultraviolet light will affect the hops, turning the beer skunky in flavor.  It is a phenomenon known as getting light struck.  Brown bottles will filter out a lot of the ultraviolet wavelength of light.  (Blue bottles?  They let in the ultraviolet light...not a good idea with beer.)  Ever had a Heineken, with the nice allure of skunk?  Yep, that is the flavor I'm referring to.  In some styles, people pretend it is desired, but in most it is considered bad and an off flavor.  The green bottles are better than clear bottles though.  I like a Newcastle every now and then, but the bottle bugs me.  (And there are ways around the light stuck problem, but it is to be found in the laboratory.)  Beer prefers the brown bottles and to be stored in dark areas.

With a can, there is zero light.  Bingo!  The can solves the skunky beer problem.

Is oxygen bad?  Yes it is, at least for beer purposes.  Oxygen degrades things over time.  (Not going to get too scientific here, partly because I don't know all the reasons and also because you probably don't care.  Nuff said.)  It is only good for beer (wort) early when first pitching the yeast, as the yeast needs oxygen to live.  After that, care must be taken to avoid exposing the beer to oxygen.

With bottling homebrew, the head space in the bottle is normal atmospheric air, containing oxygen.  Many of the caps come with oxygen absorbing plastic lining, which the skeptical side of me thinks is just a marketing trick.  But maybe not.  Of course commercial bottling facilities have ways to limit oxygen presence both inside of the bottle and the can.  So what is the difference?  Even the best sealed bottle cap will have some tiny leaks.  With the can there are no leaks at all.  It is a totally closed environment.

Cans will get a pass in those locations, like the beach or a municipal park, where glass containers are not allowed.  No...that does not give you license to actually drink straight from the can.  A glass (or plastic) container will always be better for drinking.

Are cans just a fad?  It seems to be more of a trend.  I still like the glass bottles, but I'm learning not to fear the cans.

Know where your IPA has been

I don't always trust an IPA. You don't always know where it's been, and if cold then warmed and them cold again, it will lose intended flavor, replacing it with some oxidation. At least that is my theory.

I had a few IPAs that accompanied me to a tasting recently and then came back home with me (I know, the horror).  None of them were as good as they were the first time. One was almost not drinkable (the Ass Kisser Double IPA).  I can't recall if it was great the first time, but I'm confident it wasn't the drink that tasted like it came from ass that it was the second time.  Others from the same tasting didn't taste as good after re-refrigeration.  It was actually quite disappointing.

I picked up some beers from a local brewery and was excited about their Imperial IPA. Ugh!  It was horrible!!!  I dumped it. I can not believe it was intended to taste that way.  Not possible!  And again, this went from the refrigerator at the brewery to my trunk for a few hours, and then back to refrigeration.  It was a few weeks before I had a change to actually try it.  So, time and changes in temperature seem to be a recurring theme.

It's gotta be those fickle hops!

Lesson 1:  Drink IPAs fresh.  And be cautious to keep the environment friendly.

Now it's been told that some stronger IPAs will age well.  The Dogfish Head encourages the aging of 120 Minute IPA, and I can't say that I've actually tried it fresh.  It's one of the special occasion beers for me.  I've promised myself I will purchase one each time I see it.  They brew 120 Minute maybe 3 times a year at the most and with limited distribution.  Even at $12 a bottle (12oz) they go fast.

There is a Hopslam still sitting in the back of the refrigerator too, waiting for another special occasion.

Over time the hop bitterness in beer will subside and oxygen will become more evident.  The good kind of oxidation results in a sherry-like flavor.  The bad kind results in wet newspaper staleness.

When properly cared for an IPA can be wonderful.  Be cautious and know where your IPAs have been.

Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagioni on CBS This Morning

He always makes me proud to be associated with craft beer and brewing.

Check it out.




Ha ha, it's funny.  The host says there are 24,000 craft breweries in America.  Sam states there are 2,400, correcting him without telling him he was wrong.  Anyone else pick up on this?

I think this one will be on the drink list for the weekend

My wife expressed interest in trying this beer just this week.  I don't believe I've had it yet.  I do believe I've seen it though just recently at the local ABC store.  Hmmm, shopping time.

Let's see what Sam has to say about it.

90 Minute IPA - Video (Dogfish Head)

"...Without being crushingly bitter."  What is the difference between the West coast IPAs and those brewed on the East coast? 



This is one of my favorite beers.

Did you know?  When the hops are added early in the boil, to be boiled for a full hour or longer, they contribute strong bitterness to the beer.  The longer in the boil, the more the hops will contribute to the bitterness.  Hops added at the end of the boil don't have time to release those bittering acids and thus contribute flavor and aroma to the beer.  It's a little more complicated than that, but that is the nutshell version.

Something old, something new, and something a bit different: My week in IPAs

With an upcoming IPA Tasting event, I've had IPAs on my mind lately. This week I can put even more of a theme to the selection. It's not quite the "something old, something new, something blue" like the old wedding rhyme, but rather more like "something old, something new and something a bit different". (And I know I forgot "something borrowed" for the literalists out there.)

So let's look at it.

Something old: Bell's Two Hearted Ale

Something new: Ballast Point Sculpin

Something different: Dogfish Head Sixty-One

No further comments now... But keep you eyes open.  Just photos to help you look forward to "beer-thirty" later this Afternoon.  Cheers!

Hoptimum - Video (Sierra Nevada)

This is an excellent IPA.  I really enjoyed it last year (the first I've had it) and now it will be released again in May.  These guys talk about it and try it for us.



It seems this may be Sierra Nevada's answer to Hopslam, and that's OK.  It would be an interesting comparison actually.

I like the hop-head graphic on the front of the bottle.  The big marketing draw for this one is the "whole cone" nature of the hops in this beer.  I guess that means they don't use the pellets.

Two great things that go great together

What could it be?  Beer and Metal music, of course.  It seems Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson is a fan of craft beer.  The rock and metal worlds are abuzz about the new video released by Iron Maiden, featuring lead singer Bruce Dickinson.  It seems the band partnered with Robinsons Brewery to come up with this new beer call the Trooper.



Here are several links to the story the Rock world at Classic Rock Magazine,  Metal Hammer, Metal Insider and Fox News, (watch too much and you'll want to bang you head).

The label says 4.8% ABV.  My question is this.  Why not 6.66% ABV?  If I were Iron Maiden and decided to make a beer, I'd make sure it had 6.66% ABV.  Just sayin.

Not sure when of if we in America will get the chance to try this one.  But here's to hoping.