Coming all the way from Farmville, N.C., Duck Rabbit Brewery is teaming with Woodfire Grill to create a three course meal with beer pairings.
On March 3 executive Chef Kein Gillespie will create dishes to be paired with the Duck Rabbit brand. The dinner costs $45 per person. 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road. 404-347-9055.
Seasons Greetings: The 5 Seasons Westside promises to be a palace of good beer and food.
If you read the paper or watch the news, you are probably thinking that 2009 will be a year to survive rather than enjoy. This doesn’t have to be the case. If good beer makes you happy, there is much to look forward to, even before the first daffodils start popping up. Here’s a look ahead.
Terrapin’s Sweet Tooth. The fourth installment in the Terrapin Beer Company’s Side Project, Dos Cocoas, should be hitting stores soon. It is brewed with cocoa powder and aged on cocoa nibs. The chocolate theme continues at the 2nd Annual Wake-N-Bake Off, where participants incorporate Terrapin’s Wake-N-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout into a dessert recipe. The judging takes place at Aromas in Athens on Sunday, Jan. 25. Contact the brewery at 706-549-3377 for more information. (more…)
Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter
The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Farmville, NC
9.0% ABV
Baltic porters have their origin in the export trade between Great Britain and the Scandinavian and Eastern European ports of the Baltic Sea. They were brewed with extra strength and robustness to travel well and satisfy the market demand for bold beers in the frigid winters of Sweden, Finland, and the eastern states of Russia. Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter is brewed in eastern North Carolina for the relatively balmy markets of the Southeastern United States, but is still appreciated on a chilly winter night. Pouring an inky, opaque black with a creamy, mocha-colored cap of foam, this American version boasts a rich aroma of coffee and blackstrap molasses. The roasted coffee carries over into the taste, but shares equal billing with a smooth dark chocolate and burnt caramel. Some dark berry and raisin fruitiness emerges briefly, but the sweetness is nicely countered by an herbal, licorice, and Brazil nut bitterness. There’s a pleasant, lingering piney resin in the long finish. The alcohol is evident but not overwhelming, making its presence known in the cheek-flushing warmth that banishes any chill. This one is disappearing quickly, so pick some up if you see it.
(photo by Jeff Holland)
Duck-Rabbit Wee Heavy Scotch Style Ale
Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Farmville, NC
8% ABV
Is the duck wearing the tam on his head, or the rabbit wearing it on his nose? While you ponder that deep philosophical quandary, consider the deep chestnut color and ruby highlights. Note the head that quickly fades under the weight of the malts. Heavy, yes? Sherry-like alcohol and dried, dark fruits, like prune and fig, greet the nose, while a big blast of caramelized sugar and toffee lead the flavor profile. Herbal tones of vanilla, anise, wet tobacco, and eucalyptus are present as well. Some boozy fruits come in toward the middle, with some apricot, cherry, and dark berry notes. A spicy bitterness and juniper tang hold up the back end, barely cutting through the full-bodied, mouth-coating malts. This is a true warmer, and might benefit from cellaring to take the edge off the alcohol. It would be great on the ski slopes if you could figure out how to tote it. Or save it for the hot tub back at the lodge.
(photo by Jeff Holland)
Duck-Rabbit Brown Ale
The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Farmville, N.C.
5.6% ABV
Paul Philippon’s line of dark beers brewed in the little eastern North Carolina town of Farmville is now available in Georgia. The brown ale is a nicely balanced version of the style that exhibits the nutty-sweet malt flavor of the traditional style, while ramping up the spicy, citrus hop bitterness as befits the American interpretation of classic British ales. Chestnut brown with great clarity and a persistent head, this is a clean, easy drinking brew. Toasted grains, walnuts, allspice, and a slightly smoky finish combine for a satisfying taste that pairs great with a burger or other grilled meats.
(Photo by Jeff Holland)
