Weekend Wrapup

Ahhh YEAHHH. Did some thangs this weekend...would you like to know what? I'm guessing no, but if for some reason you'd like to know, then here it goes: I spent this weekend with my two best friends named Whiskey and Beer. Friday was low key, with thoughts of Evan Williams (the whiskey, not a dude) dashing through my mind and the finest beers flowing like golden fountains of divinity, I got drunk. Saturday was a lil different, but still with that "whickey"  n brew in the system. Started at Cavanuagh's Rittenhouse with the bol Booker T. They had a weak beer selection; the best choice would be the Victory Headwaters. Had a few of them and a couple whiskey gingers. Next we stopped in for another beer at the Wrap Shack cuz I needed one more to hit my first level of drunk. Their prices surprised me. $3 Yard's IPA and $4 Victory Golden Monkey. I'll def be going there again. I hear they have late night happy hours, so maybe thats what that was. Anyway, we approached the main event of my friend's birthday party at the Raven Lounge. 2nd floor. The special was a PBR pounder and a shot of Jim Beam for $5. I know I'm going to beer hell for this, but I ordered it multiple times. Which now I know was a bad idea. I even stole shots off the bar that nobody was taking. Forgive me, but whiskey makes me a different man. I cutt some Rugg then left. I don't remember much more, but I paid for it on Sunday.  If you don't mind taking the chance of seeing three guys come out or in (gross) a single person bathroom all together, then Raven lounge is an alright spot.

Friday Lunch

Every Friday I go out for lunch (I have such an exciting life, I know). Normally I go to the Foodery and grab a beer there as well as something from their deli. Recently, for my Friday lunch, I stopped into the Foodery with the intention of grabbing an iced tea before going to Rustica for some pizza. Somehow I ended up getting a beer instead, imagine that. I took it to Rustica because you can bring your own and I paired it with their BBQ chicken slice. In my opinion I believe that Rustica has the best BBQ chicken slice of pizza in the city. The beer I chose, Heavy Seas Black Cannon, is a black IPA.  I tend to favor black IPAs over any other style of IPA. Black Cannon is a perfect example of a well engineered black IPA and is very tasty. IPAs go EXTREMELY well with BBQ of any kind. Needless to say, the combination of the two made a banger lunch. I got the itis from it which earns the meal my seal of approval. I suggest a cup of bleu cheese on the side for dipping (lard style). 

Beer Review: Lagunitas Maximus Ale

Lagunitas Brewing Co: Maximus Ale
Petaluma, California
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8.2%
Beeradvocate Rating: B+
Serving type: 6 pack of bottles
Purchased at: Total Wine & More (NJ)

Look: Bronze

Smell: Piney

Taste: Floral

Feel: Full bodied

Drinkability: Medium

Pretty much every other payday I make a trip to NJ for beer and gas. They are staples in my life and both are much cheaper just over the bridge in Jerz. Total Wine & More is what I think the place is called that I go to. All I know is that it’s in Cherry Hill and that it has mad craft beeyas. You can’t buy em by the case there, but you can choose as many different six packs as you desire. Really, there’s no limit to how much you can buy. That definitely makes up for the shitty roads in NJ, really? No left turns?  Anyway, I’m not a huge fan of the Cali IPAs because they are usually too piney. But at 9.99 for a sixer of an imperial IPA I couldn’t resist. Shout outs to Sugarhouse Casino for the glass I'm drinking this beer from, I stole it on my birthday.

With the pour of this beer there is a very creamy head. The carbonation is continually shooting to the top through the bronze battlefield of booze. You can definitely smell the piney hops right away; the signature of any California IPA. You also can sense the presence of juniper in this beer. It carries a thick floral taste and packs a zesty pine punch. Then it transitions to sweet with a syrupy sap backbone. There’s really a well rounded flavor with every sip. It is a bit on the full-bodied side, so you wouldn’t want to drink this beer all night.

My Rating: B+. Only because I approve of the ABV.

The Craft Beer Biz

Here's a little recap of an article i came across at work while i was bored and doing nothing (typical). You know I'm bouts my paper so yous know I reads my Business Weeks and stocks and stuff.

As you know, craft beer is one of the best things life has to offer. Unfortunately most people drink shit beer. Domestics, light beers, coors light, it kills me to type those words. On the bright side, the most recent sales figures for craft beer are showing a change. The overall sales volume for the U.S. beer industry dropped 2.7% in 2010 while the sales volume of craft beer increased by 9%. For all you remedial people out there: THIS IS A GOOD THING. It means craft beer is catching on and as craft beer becomes more popular it will  result in more widespread availability, lower prices, and new breweries. People have begun to develop a taste for quality beer and we have seen the emergence of a craft beer culture in the US (hence this blog). All of this has taken place during the "toughest US beer market in decades", according to the CEO of Molson Coors. Boston Beer, maker of Sam Adams (considered a craft beer), reported a 39.5% year-to-date increase in stock price. For a shitty brewed beer those numbers are very promising. Imagine what a good craft brewery could do with all those resources at hand. We could see craft beer going from 7% of the market (current %) to 15% or maybe even 20% over time. So go get drunk for the cause or just because its Tuesday. Whatever you do just make sure you are drinking something craftayyy

Click here for the original article

Beer Review: Brew Works Hop'solutely

Allentown Brew Works: Hop’solutely
Allentown, PA
Style: Triple IPA
ABV: 11.5%
Beeradvocate Rating: B
Serving type: Four-pack bottles
Purchased at: Wegmans

Look: Copper

Smell: Herbal, Wood

Taste: Strong, Sweet

Feel: Warm, Low carbonation

Drinkability: Moderate

I’ve been wondering about this IPA for a while now, ever since I ended up with some beer coasters advertising it. A strong point on this beer for me was the triple IPA status as well as the 11.5% ABV. The higher the ABV, the happier the beer makes me. Also, I think I’ve only tried one triple IPA before. I got Hop’solutely in a four pack of 12oz bottles for like $8 or $9, which isn’t a bad deal considering it will get you feelin correct as shit.

The beer pours a copper earth-like tone with a thin appearance. You can smell the sweetness of the hops up front and they are backed by floral and earthy notes. There’s a little citrus closing out the deal. With the first taste you get hit with a pretty decent boozy blow, but are then quickly swept over by pears, apricots, and herbal hops. The beer gives off a warming taste and finishes dry and woody (no homo). I was very surprised by this beer because I expected a very thick and syrupy IPA. That was all but the case. The beer drinks and tastes like a beer carrying an ABV of about 7.5%. Its punch of booze up front will turn off rookz, thus making the drinkability to be moderate. Personally, I love the beer. It got me drunk as shit. I can easily drink it and it doesn’t give me GUTT ROTT. And believe me, you do NOT want GUTT ROTT…

My Rating: A. Best Triple IPA I’ve had. 

Beer Review: Southern Tier Gemini

Southern Tier Brewing Company: Gemini
Lakewood, New York
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 10.5%
Beeradvocate Rating: A-, #37 on top 50 Imperial IPA List
Serving type: 22oz bottle
Purchased at: Wegman’s

Look: Orange, Frothy

Smell: Hoppy, Citrus

Taste: Sweet, Malty, Spicy

Feel: Medium-Full

Drinkability: Moderate

2-row pale malt
Malted white wheat
Cara-pils malt
Red wheat
Kettle hops: Columbus, Chinook & cascade
Aroma hops: Amarillo
Hop back: styrian golding
Dry hops: Amarillo, cascade, centennial, Chinook & Columbus

I’ve always known Southern Tier to put out some of the best IPAs around so I knew choosing this beer would be the right choice. I’ve had Southern Tier’s IPA, 2XIPA, and Unearthly IPA. The seasonal Gemini is very unique in the fact that it is actually a blended double (imperial) IPA. It is a mixture of 50% of their Hoppe Unfiltered and 50% of their Unearthly IPA. I don’t know how many blended ales I’ve had in the past, if any at all, but this was no disappointment.

It pours a deep amber color with a bit of haze and cloudiness. A nice frothy head hangs around from the start until the finish. It smells right off the bat like sugary malts and then the hops follow. There are citrus and pine hops present, with a focus on acidic grapefruit. The taste is excellently balanced. The unfiltered Hoppe ale pairs perfectly with the Unearthly IPA. It starts off malty and bready and then transitions to floral hops. For the finish I get an orangey, spicy pine flavor. The alcohol is pretty well masked by this blend. Although it is a thick IPA, it falls just shy of the syrupy flavor that you get from some of the doubles I’ve had.  It is much easier to drink than the Unearthly IPA and with an ABV of 10.5% to back it up, you’ll be well on your way to making drunken mistakes.

My Rating: A. The 2^nd best Imperial IPA I’ve had, behind Weyerbacher’s Double Simcoe IPA.  Grab Two!

Victory Anniversary Party at Kraftwork

OH MY GOD, IT IS A GLORIOUS SIGHT

This past Thursday was Victory Brewing's 15th anniversary party at Kraftwork in Fishtown. Above is the lineup of all the different Victory beers they had on tap. Its sheer beauty brings a tear to my eye. There is a beer menu from the night, but its too big to post on the blog. Check out the full tap list HERE. I was kind of overwhelmed when I got there and I needed to gather myself and get down to business. I ordered a hopdevil on cask and planned my assault on the taps. Like I had said before, you can order 4 beers at a time if you want to try out more than a few brews. I ended up ordering 2 seperate flights of 4.

I think thats my second flight?

I tried 8 different beers I've never had before from Victory. I have had all of their IPAs (all of them are superb) and some of their other beers, so I tried out new ones for the sake of the blog. The launch of Victory's new beer named Headwaters Pale Ale made its mark at this anniversay celebration. For a pale ale it was probably the best brew out of the 8 or so I tried. The Smokin Oats tasted like BBQ/bacon and I really enjoyed it because I am fat/was hungry. It would go great with some bbq for sure, maybe even use it as a marinade. There is one beer that I suggest you steer clear of: Braumeister Pils. I don't know what the hell that word even is, but it taste like dirt. 

This is a pic taken at the bar. Some may consider it creepin. Regardless,  I dedicate this picture to Roni. I know you miss your girl. To make the celebration complete, they brought out a cake for Victory Brewing. 

Candles, singing, you know the deal. White people shit. I'm pretty sure we were the first people at the bar to get a piece of cake, probably cuz I'm fat/was hungry. All in all, it was a very enjoyable night at Kraftwork. The only thing that let me down was the lack of 90s music. From the Facebook description, 90s music was to be played. After all the alchohol was consumed, food was in order. Went to PYT and it was the best move ever made.. Nothing beats the grease when ya drunk.

New Glass

Sometimes when I am out drinking I’m come across glasses that I really would like to have. Sometimes they somehow make their way from the bar back to my house. These are the most recent additions to my glass collection. The glass on the far left is a Rogue Dead Guy Ale glass. The middle glass is a Flying Fish Brewing Co. glass and the glass on the far right is self explanatory. I have at least 20 glasses or so in my collection, but don’t be fooled, amassing that many glasses can only be done by a pro (like me). 

Your Thursday Plans!

Here are your Thursday night plans! Take heed! Victory Brewing Co. is celebrating their 15th anniversary this Thursday at Kraftwork from 5-8pm. There will be over 20 Victory beers on tap. As I imagine all of the delicious beers Victory has to offer available all at one place and time, I cream my pants. Vivid. But anyway, I'm really just trying to express how important it is for you to GO TO KRAFTWORK THURSDAY. You'll be able to sample virtually every beer they have by ordering them in "flights of 4". That means you try four different smaller beers at once for like 10 bones. Its old head friendly (for those with grown man jobs), so you can get your drink on and still make it home well before Jersey Shore (vomit) comes on. BE There.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=187874637904461

Beer Review: Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA

Dark Horse Brewing Company: Crooked Tree IPA
Michigan, U.S.
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.0%
Beeradvocate Rating: A
Serving type: Bottle
Purchased at: The Foodery

Look: Copper orange body, Creamy head

Smell: West Coast-like, Citrusy & Piney

Taste: Sweet, Grapefruit, Orange, Subtle Pine.

Feel: Medium carbonation, Crisp

Drinkability: High

The crooked tree IPA is a year round beer and is “Inspired by West Coast I.P.A.'s, but brewed with Michigan style.” It really goes in on the dry hops. I’ve seen this beer on tap at a few places around Philly, but when I go to the bar I like to get drunk. Drinking a 6% will take me all night.

This pours into a deeper copper color than I expect from IPA’s with a 6% ABV. There’s a creamy head that remains until the last sip. When I cracked this one I noticed it smelled strongly of pine and citrus, which is how West Coast IPAs tend to smell. You can definitely taste the grapefruit in this brew with a touch of piney hops. I expected it to have more of a pine taste based on the smell, but overall it has a well balanced taste with a light hop bite. It is sweet and smooth with a very crisp mouth feel. It’s smooth taste and low ABV for an IPA makes this one very drinkable. I believe I had this beer on tap a few months back at Swift Half Pub (before it closed) in Northern Liberties. Its unfiltered style and presentation remind me of a Racer 5 IPA.

My Rating: B. Nothing special here, but a solid IPA

Flashin Cash: The Irish Pol

Victory Hopdevil/Storm King Stout

The Irish Pol (Olde City)

On my most recent night at the bar, I went to The Irish Pol in Olde City. It is one of my favorite bars and I’ve been there plenty of times. The Pol offers around 40 different beers on tap and at a good price. I went to the bar around 11pm with my friend and it was still a bit busy. They had a good variety of beers on tap, boasting the “Most taps East of the Schuylkill”. I started with a Troegs Troegenator, which is a DoubleBock with an ABV of 8.2%, which my friend recommended I try. It was an okay beer, I wasn’t that impressed. I noticed they had both Victory Storm King stout and Hopdevil IPA. For those of you that don’t know, If you mix the two together it makes for a damn good beer. I ordered that as my second beer and it was phenomenal. I think they regularly have Storm King and Hopdevil on tap because I had it before at the Irish Pol, so I suggest you try it. I started slowing down (drunkk) because I had already been drinking before I went to the bar (always). 

They had the Mad Elf knock off beer called Rude Elf as well and my friend ordered it. I took a sip and it was really good, but too syrupy for my liking.  I ordered some fries and an Oskar Blues Gordon Ale. The Gordon Ale is an Imperial Red Ale with an ABV of 8.7%. I don’t really remember drinking it, so it couldn’t have been that good. Right before we were about to settle our tabs they tapped Troegs Nugget Nectar. I wanted to have one, but I couldn’t because I still had to drive home later. I doused the fries in ketchup, killed em, and left. All in all the Irish Pol is a solid bar and I say solid because they maintain about 35-40 taps on a daily basis. Most beers are only $5 for a pint. During their daily happy hour, most beers are only $3. They also have a 2^nd floor upstairs, but it wasn’t open the night we were there.  If you can handle the occasional Nickelback song, then give this place a try.

Beer Selection: A
Price: A

Beer Review: Blue Point Hoptical Illusion

Blue Point Brewing Company: Hoptical Illusion
Long Island, NY
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.8%
Beeradvocate Rating: B+
Serving type: Bottle
Purchased at: The Foodery

Look: Golden orange

Smell: Pine, Lemon

Taste: Citrus, Orange, Floral/piney, Grainy

Feel: Light to medium body, Low carbonation

Drinkability: High

I’ve been meaning to try this beer the last five times I went to Wegman’s back home, but I always end up getting something different. My first encounter with a Bluepoint beer was with their seasonal “Toxic Sludge” IPA.  I had it on tap at Kraftwork and was very pleased. With that said, Hoptical Illusion had a lot to match up to.

The beer pours a golden orange color, similar to that of a Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA. When you crack this one pine and lemon zest scents escape the bottle. It tastes slightly sweet up front with notes of citrus, particularly oranges. Piney/floral hops dominate this beer accompanied by a grainy-bread malt backbone. Overall it is solidly bitter throughout with a well balanced and dry finish. The bitter taste fades. This is a good IPA, but nothing special. I’d still take the Toxic Sludge over this beer any day.

My Rating: B

Beer Review: Ballast Point Sculpin IPA

Ballast Point: Sculpin IPA
San Diego, CA
Style: American IPA
ABV: 7.0&
Beeradvocate Rating: A. #1 no top 50 American IPA List
Serving type: Bottle
Purchased at: The Foodery

IBU’s: 70

Look: Golden

Smell: Fresh hop, Fruity

Taste: AMAZING

Feel: Thin, Crisp

Drinkability: VERY High

I’ve been wanting to try the ever so elusive Sculpin IPA since I started drinking IPAs because it’s the #1 ranked American IPA on Beeradvocate.com. I’ve seen it before at the Foodery, but only in 22oz bottles that cost $15 and I don’t ball like that. Out of nowhere they got in the 12oz bottles and I picked one up in my mixed sixer the other day.

This beer pours an amazing gold color. As soon as I started pouring, the aromas of apricot, peach, lemon, and even mango gave me a craft beer boner. It tastes just as good, if not better than it smells. It starts off sweet and a bit tangy, follows thru with a fresh hop bite, and finishes crisp and clean. Perfect taste, perfect balance, perfect everything for this Sculpin IPA. That’s all I have to say about this beer. Def one of the best and possibly the top IPA I’ve ever had. It’s a king’s beer and well…I'ma King.

My Rating: A+

Beer Review: Troegs Nugget Nectar

Troegs: Nugget Nectar
Harrisburg, PA
Style: Imperial American Amber/ Red Ale
ABV: 7.5%
Beeradvocate Rating: A, #1 on top 50 American Amber/ Red Ale list
Serving Type: Bottle
Purchased at: The Foodery

Hop Bitterness (IBU’s): 93
Malts: Pilsner, Vienna, Munich
Hops: Nugget, Warrior, Tomahawk, Simcoe, Palisade
HopBack Hops: Whole leaf nugget
Dry Hops: Nugget, Warrior

Look: Straw/orange

Smell: Nectarine, Tangerine

Taste: Sweet, Tangy

Feel: Sharp, Bitter, Dry

Drinkability: High

I found the extra brew notes above on the Troegs website. This beer is a seasonal beer and is available January thru March. I’ve been meaning to try this beer since I saw it at the Foodery on one of my Friday lunch break visits. As you can see I drink a ton of IPA’s, but I do drink the occasional red ale (ABV permitting). I had no idea that it was rated at the top of its category, it was actually the 7.5% ABV that won me over and I wanted to try something different.

It pours the perfect amber color with a soap sud like head. Instantly you smell nectarine, tangerine, and peach. There are also floral hops present. Nugget nectar tastes sweet and tangy with a hint of apricot. It really has an unparalleled taste. There’s a smooth transition from sharp and bitter upfront to a dry finish. It has decent hop presence all throughout, yet a simple taste compared to scent expectations. I expected a fuller beer, but I’m not complaining. Low carbonation.

My Rating: A. You could def down a case of this over a weekend

Beer Review: Central City Red Racer IPA

Central City Brewing: Red Racer IPA
British Columbia, Canada
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.50%
Beeradvocate Rating: A, #11 on top 50 American IPA List
Serving Type: Can
Purchased at: The Foodery

Look: Golden body, White head

Smell: Tropical citrus

Taste: Pineapple, Tangerine, Caramel

Feel: Crisp and Dry

Drinkability: Very High

I picked this up in a mixed six pack the other day and this is the first time I’ve ever tried this beer. There actually have been legal issues with the name of this beer due to its similarity to Bear Republic’s Red Rocket Ale and Racer 5 IPA.  It has been on my list of the top IPA’s that I need to try for a long time now. I’ve seen cases of it at Global Beer in Northern Libs for about $40, but I don’t got loot like that.

It pours a golden body with a white head. When you crack this beer all you can smell is tropical fruits. There are pineapple and tangerine notes present mixed with a mild hop profile. It is dominated by citrus with a smooth caramel malt backbone. It’s dry finish, crisp & clean taste, and medium carbonation make this beer highly drinkable. Each sip leaves you wanting more. I’ve had two different 21^st Amendment IPAs out of the can and I wasn’t that impressed. I didn’t know what to expect from an IPA from Canada, but this is definitely the best IPA I’ve had out of a can. Not to mention the sexy redhead riding a bike on the can. She’s showing a healthy amount of leg. Even though it’s a picture, I live alone and sometimes I get lonely. ..

My Rating: A. For a canned beer from Canada, this is great.

Beer Review: Dark Horse Scotty Karate

Dark Horse Brewing Company: Scotty Karate
Michigan, U.S.
Style: Scotch Ale
ABV: 9.75%
Beeradvocate Rating: B+, #23 on top 50 Scotch Ale list
Serving Type: Bottle
Purchased at: The Foodery

Look: Mahogany

Smell: Earthy, Oak, Cinnamon

Taste: Chocolate, Dark Malt

Feel: Spicy & Clean

Drinkability: Medium-Low

Scotty Karate is a fall/winter seasonal beer. The first and only time I had Scotty Karate (before this) was on tap at City Tap House in West Philly and it was a memorable one. That night I went out with a couple friends and one of my friends was supposed to meet a girl there. Long story short, I got drunk. Intoxication was completely acceptable due to the huge selection of tasty beers they had to offer. What wasn’t acceptable was me ending up playing grab ass with the girl my friend was meeting (and supposedly her crotch, but I disagree), spilling her beer all over the floor, and getting caught stealing cookies from Jimmy John’s and bullshitting my way out of it. I went home and my friend stayed behind with that girl to try and get some play (he didn’t). To add insult to injury, when he made it back to the house I was knocked out and the door was locked. Sorry Roni!

On my second encounter with this beer I took a more civil approach. As you can see it was poured into a piece of my finest stem wear. This glass is actually the same exact glass that Scotty Karate was served to me in by a waiter that said “chop suey” as he gave it to me at City Tap House. Somehow the glass magically made it back to my apartment (sorry City Tap House, I steal when I’m drunk), and served as my glass for this review. It pours a dark mahogany like color with a dissipating head. There is a strong smoky/toasted earth smell to the beer. You can smell the presence of cinnamon and toffee. It has a very dark malt taste like smoky chocolate with notes of dark fruit (raisins). The toasted oak taste gives off a warming feeling. This beer is not hoppy and has little carbonation. Its clean and spicy finish makes this beer more drinkable than other beers carrying similar ABV.

My Rating: A. It tastes so damn good.

Flashin Cash: City Tap House

For all yous that don’t know, “Flashin Cash” means to go out. You can go out Friday & Saturday on pay weeks and only one weekend night on non-pay weeks. My recent trip to City Tap House was in celebration of getting dem tax refund checkz. I went out with one of my friends and a few more people met us there. If you’ve never been to City Tap House, then go. They offer a huge selection of beers with atleast 5 different selections of every major style of beer. In total they have 50 taps flowing on any given night. For some reason, City Tap House brings the beast out of me and I end up getting very drunk when I go. This time was no different. Before I left I drank a few Bear Republic Hop Rod Ryes and had a jam sesh to set the tone.

We got there and I went right for the IPAs. They didn’t really have anything special to offer. They had the Yard’s IPA, Dark Horse Crooked Tree, Flying Dog Snake Dog, and Dogfish Head 90 Minute (said 60 minute on the menu). I had a draft of each of the beers I mentioned as well as an Allagash Tripel which tasted awful but was high in ABV. As I drank my last beer, a Yard’s, I began to feel all the alcohol catch up to me. I don’t remember too much after that point, but I know I went to Jimmy John’s and got a hoagie and took a cookie again. I also got into a little (drunk) conflict with a guy trying to pay his bill before leaving the tap house. I thought I was going to vomit the whole cab ride home. January 29^th was a day I spent a lot of money. I don’t want to go into details, but it was acceptable because it was payday as well. In terms of damages that night, City Tap House tends to run a little on the pricey side. Each beer is atleast $6, some are $6.50, or even $7 (damn Allagash). We offset the cost by adding a few more glasses to my collection. Sorry….

Beer Selection: A+
Price: C