I had a free night, so I headed down to iTap in Soulard. What caught my attention you ask? How about a nice IPA from 2nd Shift called El Gato Grande. Steve Crider sure can brew it. But, the girls tending bar were having issues with the keg so I switched over to another IPA. My server Emily recommended Odells Double IPA. It's name...Mercenary Double IPA. My was it good.
I had to get home and had time for one more, so I asked Emily for a recommendation of a really big beer. She knows her stuff and she knows me. Emily took about a half a second and said "how about a Boulevard Rye on Rye.
I have to tell you...it was amazing. Of course, it was sweet, but anytime you drink anything over liquor barrels you know it will be. But, Boulevard has done a really nice job with this. I can't wait to taste it again. And thank you Emily for a really great beer!
The weather here this week has been wonderful. Daytime highs in the 60s and night time lows in the 40's. It's about 20 degrees warmer than normal for the first week of February. So, even though some little rat up in Pennsylvania saw his shadow yesterday, Spring can't be far away.By the calendar it's about six weeks to the official start of Spring and to St. Patrick's Day. But, you know I found a six pack of Boulevard Brewing's Irish Ale yesterday afternoon. It always comes out a month before St. Patty's Day and the start of Spring. So there it is; yet another sign we are getting closer to warmer weather. And you also know what I will be tasting this afternoon after work. Cheers!
So, I get off work last night and I ask the bartender at one of my favorite watering holes, what new big IPAs do you have? And without missing a beat he says have you tried the Lenny's RIPA? As fast as I sampled a taste of it I was sold.It's a big big beer; a Double IPA. As the Shmaltz Brewing Company literature says it is brewed with an obscene amount of hops and malt. Then it is aged in Rye Whiskey barrels. The combination and aging work to perfection. You might think something that big would be undrinkable. But, no it was amazing. I would like to have ordered another but at 10% ABV I decided not to since I was driving. But, the next time I am the bar I will have several more glasses of this wonderful beverage.
As you can tell by reading this blog I am a beer drinker. It appears as if Joe Alioto is striking a blow for "Joe Six Pack. Alioto has filed suit to block the Anheuser Busch - InBev merger. KWMU reported on it this morning.
In mid January I wrote about White Hawk IPA and said it was okay but nothing special. After attending a beer tasting a week or so ago, I have changed my mind. This product from Mendocino brewing in California is awesome. I have drank several more and the way the hops linger on the palate are excellent. If you are a hop head I would recommend you try it if you have never tasted it. If you have tasted it then you know how good it really is. My apologies to the brew master for my earlier review.
If you read this blog regularly you know I am a beer lover and a hop head on top of it. By definition that's someone who likes highly hopped Ales. Yesterday I was invited to a beer tasting at my favorite new liquor store named Paradise Valley Wine. They featured the offerings of O'Fallon Brewery in St. Charles County.I have written about the company's Five Day IPA previously, but yesterday I sampled and bought the Smoked Porter. It is brewed with Bamberg malt. The malt is roasted and the result is a smooth rich Porter. I wish I had known it was available a month ago when I was smoking Turkey and Rolled Pork Loins. The beer can be paired with a number of foods. You know I just read that last sentence and it sounds a little pretentious. But, then again wine snobs have been doing it for years. So, I guess I have the right to do the same with my beer.
I tried another fine beer Sunday evening before dinner and think it is one of the best India Pale Ales I have tasted. JW Dundee's IPA ranks right up there with Goose Island and Schlafly's products. For what it's worth Dundee's is located in Rochester, New York.In looking at it's web page I learned it is brewed with Amarillo and Simcoe hops. I had never heard of these before but it certainly leaves a nice crisp taste as the last drops slide across the back of your tongue.It is brewed in late summer and I suspect I got some of the last product they produced this past year. But, I will definitely drink it again when the new batch comes out late this summer.
-The strike by The Writer's Guild in Hollywood has caused tonight's Golden Globe awards to be cancelled. But, on the other hand it has let me view some things I might not have otherwise seen. Because the few TV shows I watch are all reruns I have started watching some other shows. Until the strike I had never seen three offerings I now am trying to watch when I can . The first is "Madmen" by AMC on various nights. On Monday nights I am now watching the WB's "Aliens in America". And on Tuesday night's Fox has a program called "House" that I have started watching. Were it not for the strike I wouldn't have seen any of them.-I had the chance to sample an IPA from Mendocino Brewing in California last night. It's White Hawk Original IPA is good and hoppy. It's not the best I've had but it's very drinkable. However, if you're not a hop head you may have a problem with it.-What is it with TV ads for hamburgers? Have you seen the inane spot that Burger King is running for it's "Whopper"? It shows a clip of videos in which actors are told they can't buy a whopper and then the actors act crazy when they are told it's not available. Come on BK don't insult our intelligence. We've already been insulted by the Sonic ads with the two gay dudes talking about how good the food is and by the dummies who write the Hardee's/Carl's Jr. ads. Maybe there's a statement on the job application at these ad agencies that says we won't hire you unless you're an idiot.-Speaking of ads, Anheuser-Busch has taken to running radio spots saying all they do is brew lagers (Yeeccch). Then they take a swipe at Pale Ales, Stouts, Porters and Wheat beers. (I guess the average AB consumer prefers water flavored beer to real beer). But I find it interesting that AB uses it's distribution system to transport many of the micro brews it is saying aren't that good. Do you think the management at AB is a little two faced?
Schlafly Brewing has brought it's smoked porter to market and it is outstanding. Schlafly has brewed it in the past but not regularly each year. It is great to see it back in the micro breweries offerings again this winter.This year's batch is outstanding. I had a chance to taste it earlier this evening at the Tap Room. I will definitely have it again the next time I am at Schlafly's downtown facility. The beer was definitely worth the wait.
Boulevard Brewing's Nutcracker Ale is the winner of this year's best Christmas Ale.I sampled the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale while smoking the hens this evening and it is good. But, to me it tasted a whole lot like their Pale Ale. In my opinion Nutcracker had the best all around taste this year. It is hard to rank them because they are all very close, but after Boulevard I would say Sierra Nevada and Schlafly's Christmas Ale are even and then Breckenridge's Christmas Ale is next. Like I say it was hard to compare them because of them all being good beer. But I like the Boulevard product best.
I had a chance to taste the Breckenridge Christmas Ale Saturday night. It is a pleasing strong ale with a distinctive hoppiness and flavored with Carmel. It also tastes a little like there's a hint of raisin.It has a dark brown color and has an alcohol by volume of 7.4%. It is as good as Boulevard's offering and a little better than Schlafly. But, all three of them are very good. I will sample the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale tonight or with Christmas dinner tomorrow. Stay tuned.
As regular readers know, I like my beer. I also like the beers produced at this time of year. Most micro-breweries make a Pumpkin Ale in the fall. These are fine beers. But the best seasonals of the year in my opinion are Christmas Ales. They are usually higher in alcohol volume than other products and are usually dry hopped with the bittering Chinook hop and then finished with Christmas type seasonings such as Orange peel or carmel or molasses. They all have a fairly high IBU. (A brewing industry measure of bitterness).I have tasted Schlafly's Christmas Ale and Boulevard's Nutcracker Ale. They are both fine beers. I think the Boulevard offering is a little better and a better value as it is priced less expensively than Schlafly's Christmas Ale.I have also located and will soon sample the Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale, and have also found a six pack of Breckenridge's Christmas Ale. I will let you know what I think as soon as I sample them. And if you know me that will be very soon!
