Daily Loaf

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale — Brewed in Portland, Maine by Shipyard Brewing Company, Pumpkinhead is easily the mildest, most accessible, and sessionable pumpkin beer. At 4.5% ABV, this institution in pumpkin ales pours a golden hue, emitting aromas of wheat grain with faint traces of baking spices. On the palate, nutmeg dominates; making it very pie like, yet the brew is light bodied and easy drinking. It’s a nice introduction to pumpkin beer, with all the quintessential flavors packed into a thin, light-tasting brew.

Wolaver’s, Dogfish Head, Weyerbacher and Terrapin after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

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 »

Off State Road 580 near downtown Dunedin, a mountain of beer joy lies in a rather unassuming strip mall. Luekens Liquors is rated by Beer Advocate as one of the best places to buy snobby brew in the Bay Area. A quick survey of the copious beer selection reveals that inventory is scattered everywhere, with no apparent organizational system whatsoever. Wild Blue is shelved between Christmas beer and Boon Gueuze; the same beer is displayed in five different locations. Browsing the shelves of this brew Wonderland is similar to digging for vinyl records. In order to find the good stuff, it is often necessary to look at every single item. In some ways, that aspect adds to the charm, at least for someone like me. Exploring in this manner is way more interactive than simply buying a six pack. Here’s what I found on my treasure hunt through Luekens. Read the rest of this entry »