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Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Trip In The Woods Barrel-Aged Series Tequila Barrel Aged Orta-Vez

Posted on by Evan

Picked up Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Trip In The Woods Barrel-Age Series Tequila Barrel Age Orta-Vez, 6.4% ABV from the local Total Wine. Trip In The Woods Barrel-Age Series Tequila Barrel Age Orta-Vez is aged in Reposado Tequila oak barrels for six months then blended back with new fresh Orta-Vez, which is Spanish for one more. Trip In The Woods Barrel-Age Series Tequila Barrel Age Orta-Vez pours a yellow color with a one and a half finger white head that slowly fades into a big of halo lacing giving off tart aroma that are fruity with some slight strong alcoholic sour notes that take you into a tart and juicy flavor up front with that strong alcohol note in the middle with more tequila flavors it one back with a bit of a faint vanilla with a great juicy tart finish of nice tequila notes and an aftertaste of even more tequila with nice smoothness that really linger with hints of vanilla a faint sweet notes. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Trip In The Woods Barrel-Age Series Tequila Barrel Age Orta-Vez is one heck of a complex beer that’s is wonderful and well deserving of an A+. I thought that Trip In The Woods Barrel-Age Series Tequila Barrel Age Orta-Vez would be good because the base beer Orta-Vez is just as good, and by aging it in Tequila Barrels really brought out so much goodness. I highly recommend Trip In The Woods Barrel-Age Series Tequila Barrel Age Orta-Vez and would love to have this again, but it is a bit expensive at 22 dollars but it sure tasted like it was worth the price. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

Here are this week’s new and events happening in and around Charlotte, North Carolina!

  • Wednesday, October 17th.  Pumpkin Beers at Brewers at 4001 Yancey. Brewers at 4001 Yancey. 6 pm-9 pm. Tickets at eventbrite.com. Fall is here and so is pumpkin season! Come and join us at Brewers at 4001 Yancey for a pumpkin flight! We have a special space reserved and staff will be on hand to give us a discussion of each beer and a history of the brewery.
    *****THIS IS A TICKETED EVENT. SPACE IS LIMITED. TICKETS ARE FREE BUT REQUIRED FOR PARTICIPATION. Please click on the Eventbrite link to get your ticket.*****
    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pumpkin-beers-at-brewers-at-4001-yancey-tickets-50886381537?aff=affiliate1
    Each lady will be responsible for the cost of their flight and any additional food & drink purchases.
    The brewery has a wonderful menu of food to choose from.http://brewersat4001yancey.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/food-menu-6_22_18.pdf
    Ladies only please but guys are welcome to hang out at the brewery.  
  • Wednesday, October 17th. Buzz City Blonde – Pilot Batch Release. Triple C Brewing Company. 4 pm -9 pm. A Belgian Blonde made with pilsner, aromatic malt, and Belgian golden ale yeast. Hopped with Citra and Mosaic hops creating a deliciously fruity and floral nose and flavor. Fermented with golden ale yeast creating layers of Belgian hopped goodness. 6.5%
    Bleu Barn Bistro food truck will be on the patio for dinner! 
  • Thursday, October 18th. Tropical Kush Can Release. Sycamore Brewing. 4 pm-10 pm. Kind of Fruity, Kind of Dank. This IPA is Packed with the Choicest, Sticky Hop Nuggets from our Favorite Growers.
  • Thursday, October 18th. Founders Specialty Flight Night. Flying Saucer Charlotte. 6 pm-12 am. Founders Flight Night featuring Better Half, Harvest Wet Hopped Ale, Backwoods Bastard, and 4 Giants Imperial IPA
  • Thursday, October 18th. New IPA Release! Cloud Walker Hazy Juicy IPA. Brewers at 4001 Yancey. 5 pm-10 pm.New beer coming at ya! Cloud Walker Hazy Juicy IPA, Victory’s newest draft-only beer, releases for the FIRST TIME on Thursday at Brewers at 4001 Yancey! Join our brew crew as they tap the state’s very first keg of this limited draft release at 5pm! Live music, cold beer, and your chance to hang out with our brewers to talk Cloud Walker, innovation, and what you’d like to see us brew in Charlotte.
    Beyond hazy, Cloud Walker explodes as tropical and fruity elements float through cloudy formations to elevate hops to the highest pedestal. Cloud Walker is a juice bomb, dry-hopped with Citra and Mosaic with an expert dosing of oats, wheat, and lactose to deliver a pillowy soft mouthfeel.
    After months of R&Ding and experimentation, our amazing brew crew is excited to join you for this special release. We can’t wait to introduce you to Cloud Walker and hear what you think about this tasty #IPA. See you on the 18th to welcome Cloud Walker into your glass, your night, and your life. Get it on draft while supplies last! #CloudWalker #HazyJuicyIPA#JuicyHazyIPA #NewEnglandIPA #BeerRelease
  • Friday. October 19th. 5th Annual Cider Fest. Rooftop 210. 6 pm-10 pm. Tickets at eventbrite.com $18.19 – $23.92. Summer is coming to an end… but that means Fall is finally here and it is time to celebrate with the 5th Annual Charlotte Cider Fest! Spend an evening sipping your way through samples of ciders and learning about cider mixology when you grab a ticket to the 5th Annual Cider Fest at Rooftop 210!
    2018 CIDERS ANNOUNCED!
    Bold Rock
    -Carolina Apple
    -Carolina Draft
    -IPApple
    -Premium Dry
    -Rose
    Appalachian Mountain
    -Scarlet Rose
    -Mystic Dragon
    -Roots Cider
    Magners
    -Apple
    -Pear
    Stella Cidre
    Austin EastCiders
    -Blood Orange
    -Grapefruit
    -Original Dry
    -Pineapple
    -Spiced
    Bull City
    -Cinnamon
    -Off Main
    -Orange
    Smith and Forge
    Strongbow
    Woodchuck
    -Amber
    -Granny Smith
    -Gumption
    Flat Rock
    -Original
    -Blackberry
    Wyndridge
    -Black Cherry
    -Original
    -Cranberry
    Angry Orchard
    -Crisp
    -Easy Apple
    -Green Apple
    -Rose
    -Knotty Pear
    For questions please contact us at info@rooftop210.com and/or call us at (704) 526-0848
    #CharlotteCiderFest
    Must be 21 and up. All Sales are final – Event is rain or shine
  • Saturday, October 20th. Commandant Space Cadet BA Russian Imperial Stout Release. Triple C Brewing Company. 12 pm- 10 pm. We took a similar malt base to our Space Cadet Black IPA and scaled the ABV up, then let it rest in a Bourbon Barrel sleep chamber for over a year before awakening this beast with a large dry hop addition of Mosaic and Amarillo. The nose is Bourbon, oak and resiny hops with a deep space dark chocolate and raisin malt flavor profile. 10%
    Hunter’s Travesty will be joining us on the patio for some live tunes & New Wrap Order food truck will be here for dinner!  
  • Saturday, October 20th. Camp Hp Cocoa Fall Fest Presented by Wicked Weed. Hot Taco. Ticket at eventbrite.com. $16.49. 12 pm-6 pm. Start your Fall off right with our first annual Camp Hop Cocoa Fall Fest presented by Wicked Weed and the Cool Kids Campaign. The festival will have live music by Matt Minchew & the Highbinders, cornhole tournament, outdoor games, food trucks, a few surprises and beer provided by Wicked Weed.
    FREE EVENT!
    Party will take place in the Hot Taco/All American Parking lot at 200 E. Bland Street.
    Elevate your festival experience with a $15 ticket including samplings of Wicked Weed’s rare sour beers and also a commemorative mug.
    Tickets are extremely limited so hurry and get yours now!
    (no animals due to limited space and food trucks)
  • Sunday, October 21st. Catawba Brunch Buffet. Catawba Brewing Company. Charlotte. 11 am- 2 pm. Calling all brunch (and beer) lovers!!
    We are cooking up something special for brunch!
    Every Sunday our friends at Fresh Eats are going to be cooking up an amazing rotating menu and are even going to have some live action cooking!
    Details:
    11am-2pm
    $15 
    Includes all you can eat and one 10oz White Zombie to wash it down!
    Menu basics but not limited to:
    Sausage
    Bacon
    Made to order Omelets
    Fruits
    Wraps
    Salads
    Pasta
    Cheese
    Meats
    Are you drooling yet?
    We are and can’t wait for you to come to cheer on your favorite team and enjoy some beers and brunch with us!
     

     

Tool Beer Ms. Velvet 2018 Edition

Posted on by Evan

Tool Beer Ms. Velvet 2018 Edition, 9.0% ABV, from Denmark and brewed in De Proef Lochristi Belgium I picked up from Pop The Top Bottle Shop here in Charlotte. Ms. Velvet is blackcurrant & plum triple ale that pours a red/purple color with a one and a half finger thin white head that fades into a little halo with some lacing, with aromas of bright fruity notes, mostly dark fruits with some slightly alcoholic notes that take you to a dark fruit flavor with slight sour alcoholic notes with some bitterness on the back with a dry dark fruit finish and lingering sour/tart dark fruit dry aftertaste with a medium mouthfeel. I like this but I think it’s good as a sour fruit beer and okay just as a Belgian Tripel, I give Tool Beer Ms. Velvet 2018 Edition a B-. The tart dark fruits give this a nice refreshing quality and get through the 9.0% ABV but just a little. I would recommend this but after 3 or four pints you’d be over the fruit and the 9.0% ABV, But it’s a good beer for, just one or two. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly

Hallo Ich Bin Berliner Weisse Blood Orange

Posted on by Evan

I pick up Mikkeller BeerHallo Ich Bin Berliner Weisse Blood Orange, 3.7% ABV from Pop The Top Bottle Shop here in charlotte a few weekends ago. Hallo Ich Bin Berliner Weisse come is a few varieties of fruit from Mikkeller Beer in Denmark. Hallo Ich Bin Berliner Weisse Blood Orange pours a yellow slightly cloudy color with a one finger white head that fades into quickly dissipating lacing that gives off fruity tart aromas with a little note of sourness that then leads you to a similar to the aroma taste with a bit more fruity tart/sour notes with a finish of blood orange tart fruity flavor and bits of a sour/tart fruit aftertaste with a somewhat light mouthfeel. I have had a few of this Hallo Ich Bin Berliner Weisse beer and I find that the Blood Orange verity to be the best so far seeing that I’ve not had everyone that Mikkeller Beer brewers. So I say that Hallo Ich Bin Berliner Weisse Blood Orange is a an A+, you really get all the blood orange and Weisse flavor on this Hallo Ich Bin Berliner Weisse beer and none seem to mesh badly with each other, then all blend together well for a well brewed beer. I found it to be a really refreshing beer and one beer that I could have a six pack of, and yes I would highly recommend Hallo Ich Bin Berliner Weisse Blood Orange. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Throwback Thursday: Kona Brewing Co. Aloha Series Pipeline Porter

Posted on by Evan

Originally posted on October 18th, 2013.

Aloha! One ingredient used in beer that is enjoyed with or with being brewed into a beer is coffee beans. Coffee beans are used in IPA’s, Stouts, and Porters. The roasted taste of the beans goes well with the roasted malts used in most dark beers. But using them in IPA’s is a new thing and not used so much. This beer Kona Brewing Co.’s Aloha Series Pipeline Porter 5.4% ABV comes all the way from Kona, Hawaii. Pipeline Porter uses one hundred percent Hawaiian Kona Coffee. Pipeline Porter pours a deep and rich black color with a three finger rocky beige head that stays very well and leaves nice whiffs of lace behind. I found no light coming through the glass and very little amounts of carbonation bubbles due to the dark color. The aroma on this porter is like freshly roasted dark coffee beans and hints of dark malts. The taste on Pipeline Porter is rich a roasted with hints of semi-sweetness that is a big chocolate flavor. I found the tiniest hint of bitterness but one it come it then went away. There is a hint of roasted malts there as well. This Kona Porter, taste like a nice cup of coffee with a hint of sweetness. The mouthfeel is medium to almost heavy and is smooth to drink. Pipeline finishes bit roast with hints of sweetness and has a semi-roasted coffee aftertaste. I enjoyed this Pipeline Porter. It does not overpower you with coffee or roasted flavors and isn’t the slightest bitter from the coffee. So Kona Brewing Co.’s Aloha Series Pipeline Porter get an A here. I would defiantly have this Porter again. I recommend that you try this too if you have not yet. Cheers and mahalo! Please enjoy responsibly!

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

Here are this week’s news and events happening in the Charlotte, NC area!

  • Thursday, October 11th. IPA Series #7: So Fresh Wet Hop IPA. Birdsong Brewing Company. 3 pm-10 pm. We jumped at the opportunity to have FRESH, Idaho 7 Hops overnighted to us for the latest beer in our IPA Series, So Fresh Wet Hop IPA! With So Fresh, we’re taking advantage of the harvest season and making this one a wet/fresh hop IPA! We’re featuring the Idaho 7 hop which is the highlighted hop from Paradise City Session IPA and is known for it’s tropical, papaya, and piney characteristics! Hope you can join us for the release on Thursday, 10/11 at 3pm!
    There’s no time to waste, So Fresh is meant to be enjoyed today! With fragrant tropical fruit aromas and notes of pine, Idaho 7 hops star in this specialty wet hop IPA. This is a beer meant to be consumed fresh, so drink it as soon as possible!
  • Thursday, October 11th. Founders Speciality Flight Night. Flying Saucer Charlotte. 6 pm-11 pm. Founders Flight Night featuring Better Half, Harvest Wet Hopped Ale, Backwoods Bastard, and 4 Giants Imperial IPA
  • Saturday, October 13th. 4 yr Anniversary. Sugar Creek Brewing. 11 am-11 pm. Its Sugar Creek Brewing Companies 4 year anniversary and we’ve decided to team up with LOCAL vendors to throw a FALL FEST. Come hangout Saturday 10/13/18 all day long as we bring you Live Music, Multiple beer releases throughout the day, Food Trucks and shop some local vendors or maybe snag a PUMPKIN for Halloween! It’s our 4 Year and we are very grateful to be a part of this beautiful city and the people that make it that way.
  • Sunday, October 14th. HBC Charlotte: Beers 4 Equality. Birdsong Brewing Company. 12 pm-4 pm. Tickets at act.hbc.org. Join HRC Charlotte for Beers 4 Equality at Birdsong Brewing Co.!
    TICKETS:
    Online: $25
    At the door: $30
    All tickets include an exclusive BEERS 4 EQUALITY Souvenir Pint Glass, 2 beer tickets, and an annual HRC membership or renewal.
    All ages and dogs are welcome.
    Join us for the Panthers game. Music Provided by DJ Little Betty before kick-off and during halftime.
  • Tuesday, October 16th. Pint Night w/ Clown Shoes Brewing. The Casual Pint Rivergate. 6 pm-8 pm. Although the name may make you think otherwise, Clown Shoes Brewing Company’s brews are no joke! They will be joining us on the 16th for a Pint Night you will surely want to be here for. 

Catawba Brewing Co. White Zombie White Ale

Posted on by Evan

Catawba Brewing Co, White Zombie White Ale, 5.1% ABV purchased from Pop The Top Bottle Shop has breweries in Morganton, Asheville, and here in Charlotte North Carolina. White Zombie White Ale pours a deep yellow color with a two finger white foamy head that slowly fades into a white halo giving off aromas of orange, peel and fruit, with hints of sweet spiced notes that take you to a taste of orange sweet/spiced flavor with a bit of a mild yet light yeast Ed notes towards the back of the tongue with a nice finish of orange coriander and a light sweet spiced aftertaste with a medium mouthfeel that is refreshing. Catawba Brewing Co. White Zombie White Ale is a B, it has a good white ale flavor to it without being overwhelming or heavy, it is slightly easy drinking but it does sit a bit heavy in your stomach after a few but the flavor is still drinkable at that point. I recommend Catawba Brewing Co. White Zombie White Ale. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Wrightsville Beach Brewery Puppy Drum Pale Ale

Posted on by Evan

Wrightsville Beach Brewery Puppy Drum Pale Ale, 4.9% ABV is another purchase from Pop The Top Bottle Shop here in Charlotte, and Puppy Drum is brewed in Wilmington North Carolina and pours a deep copper color with a one and half finger white head that slowly fades into aromas of bitter crisp dry notes with a dry flavor in front and middle of the mouth that become a bit more bitter on the end with a bit of crisp bitterness to it with a nice bitter finish and a bitter dry yet crisp aftertaste with a lighter mouthfeel. Not a bad pale ale, but the bitterness grows a bit as Puppy Drum warms. Wrightsville Beach Brewery Puppy Drum Pale Ale is a B- beer, it does not really blow me away with its flavor but it’s a good pale ale that doesn’t overpower your taste buds and one that you could drink a few of and yes it’s one you should go out and try. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Birdsong Brewing Company O.P.P. Pale Ale with Pineapple

Posted on by Evan

Birdsong Brewing Company O.P.P. Pale Ale with Pineapple, 5.8% ABV, another purchase from Pop The Top Bottle Shop ands is brewed with Simcoe, and Cascade hops. O.P.P. (Other Peoples Pineapple) pours a hazy yellow with an almost two finger creamy white head that stays cream with nice cream lacing that give off a slight bitter tropical aroma with little to no pineapple notes that flow in to a taste of light fruity tropical flavors with not much pineapple with a bit of a creamy texture and a sharp bitter note in the middle and on the back of the mouth that finishes a little creamy with a sharp bitter fruity note with a bitter light fruit aftertaste with a light yet creamy mouthfeel. This beer advertised that it was tropical with pineapple and I really didn’t get any of that. But what I did get was okay, C+. I always like Birdsong Brewing beers but this was slightly off their mark, and yes I might have O.P.P. again and probably recommend this pale ale but not if you like pineapple. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Throwback Thursday: Sierra Nevada Sidecar Orange Pale Ale

Posted on by Evan

Originally posted March 13th, 2017

I love oranges so would I like this Sierra Nevada Sidecar Orange Pale Ale, 5.3% ABV? Well I like the original Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. So lets see! Sierra Nevada Sidecar is a newer year round offering. Sierra Nevada Sidecar pours a light top medium copper color with a two and a half finger head of white that fades at a steady pace leaving behind some minimal lacing. The aroma is orange/orange juice of course with orange peel, orange seeds. There is a faint pine yet earthy notes. Taste is much the same as it smells on the nose, there is the orange/ orange juice, orange peel and seeds with a pale ale earth and slight pine on the back of the mouth. But this Sidecar is more orange than anything. The mouth feel is light to slightly medium and finishes with a faint bitter orange flavor that leaves the same juicy after taste that lingers until you take another sip. Overall Sierra Nevada Sidecar orange Pale Ale is great, it get an A. It has a big orange flavor with a little bit of pale ale flavors towards the end that make it a great drinking beer. Sierra Nevada Sidecar is something that you’d want again and again. The flavor does not overpowering your palate. It has the right amount of balance to it. I do like Sierra Nevada Sidecar Orange Pale Ale, and I recommend it! Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!