Behold! Greg Koch’s 45 minute “Be Remarkable: Ethics, Camaraderie, Passion” keynote speech from the 2009 Craft Brewer’s Convention. With inspiring ideas in regard to industry practices, plenty of beer geek humor, and “I Am Craft Brewer” intro montage goodness. Read the rest of this entry »
Pairing beer and food has always been a major fascination, but lately I have become preoccupied and unable to focus. All I can think about is a variety of fine brews accompanied by little plates of delectable fare. After much persuading, five of my friends agreed to skip dinner and embark upon a beer and snack paring marathon.
Michigan brewery, Jolly Pumpkin Artisanal Ales, has nothing to do with seasonal gourd beers and everything to do with open air fermentation, exotic French and Belgian yeast strains, oak barrel aging, and bottle conditioning. All their beers are funky, spicy, and sour, packed full of Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus goodness.
Maracaibo Especial is a 7.5% ABV Belgian inspired brown ale made from all natural ingredients — barley, wheat, hops, yeast, and water; brewed with cacao and spiced with cinnamon and orange peel. After fermentation, the brew matures in oak barrels for several months, and after bottling, it goes in the cellar for a few more months. The process by which it’s crafted is drastically different from the rapid, highly mechanized assembly line production of mainstream domestic; this type of beer simply has more soul. Read the rest of this entry »
While I really enjoyed Dos Cocoas Chocolate Porter, the 4th installment of the Terrapin Brewing Side Project series, I was distracted by thoughts of what the brew would taste like with higher ABV and a bitter coffee injection. As I drank Dos Cocoas, I couldn’t get Terrapin’s Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout out of my mind. I fully realize that in some circles mixing beer is frowned upon, but my intense curiosity compelled me to swallow the snobbish pride and entertain my inner mad scientist. Read the rest of this entry »
Cigar City Brewing Launch Party
Oldsmar Tap House
Saturday, March 28. Starts at 2pm
I am really excited about this event, not only because I will be serving as a guest bartender for the day, but I will also be surrounded by a mountain of Cigar City’s brewed delights. I’ve sampled these joyous concoctions several times at trade shows and beer nerd events, but not a collection this extensive and drool-worthy.
As far as the beer lineup, 16 ounce pints of Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale and Jai Alai IPA will be available all day. Limited edition beers will be tapped on a schedule until the keg or cask runs dry.
Schedule and more info after the break:
Scrimshaw, North Coast Brewing, California
Pilsner, 4.4% 
Those who know me as a beer drinker know, first and foremost, that I’m a dark beer girl. It’s nut browns at baseball games and schwarzbiers on the beach for me, please. I also require a healthy dose of hops here and there, along with the terrible brettanomyces funkiness of sour ales.
Although I gravitate toward big, bold, deep, dark, extreme beer, there are certain occasions when a girl needs the refreshing goodness of a clean pilsner. In those times I turn away from my muddy brew fixation, yet I am not afraid. North Coast Scrimshaw fulfills the need for a light bodied, European-style pilsner without leaving me wanting for flavor.
Scrimshaw pours into a tapered pilsner glass with exuberant and rapid carbonation. Yet, after half a minute, the bubbling brew has subsided and the two inch crown of head has reduced to a thin white ring.
A brilliant orange body gives off earthy aromas of fresh cut grass with the slightest traces of baking bread. The initial flavors are fresh and unaltered, like healthy organic cereal. Read the rest of this entry »
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