Daily Loaf

Here’s a video interview with Brian “Spike” Buckowski, founder and brewmaster of Terrapin Beer Company, from my trip to visit the brewery recently. We chatted about the new year-round Hopsecutioner IPA, Side Project Volume 7 — Maggie’s Farmhouse Ale, and the second release of Side Project Volume 3– Gamma Ray Wheatwine. Clip also features comical appearances by the brewery’s resident cat, Hops.

Terrapin Beer brews its magical potions in the hip college town of Athens, Georgia. The brewery’s legacy began with a kickass Rye Pale Ale and, a mere six months after its commercial debut in 2002, that sole effort won a gold medal in the American Pale Ale category at the Great American Beer Festival.

In 2004, Golden Ale was introduced, winning a silver medal at the World Beer Cup. India Brown Ale and Sunray Wheat Ale have since been added to the brewery’s standard repertoire, as well as the Monster Beer Tour – a seasonal collection with bolder character (and more alcohol), including Rye Squared, Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout, All American Pilsner, and Big Hoppy Monster. The most recent addition to the seasonal Monster Beer rotation is Gamma Ray, an 11% ABV wheat wine that was initially brewed as a one-time release. 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 »

Terra-Rye’Zd
Rye Schwarzbier, 6.6%
Left Hand / Terrapin Collaboration

It’s true, I am perpetually harping on the awesomeness of Left Hand Brewing. I’m totally, shamelessly on their jock, and I’m ok with that. When most thought it couldn’t get any worse, Left Hand went and did a limited release collaboration beer with Terrapin Brewing out of Athens, GA. If that wasn’t enough to send me into rare beer frenzy, this collaborative concoction just happened to be the synthesis of two beer styles that make my pulse race with joy: rye grain brews and black lagers. Good lord, are they trying to give me a heart attack?

When poured into a pint glass, Terra Rye’Zd’s Read the rest of this entry »