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The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

Here are this week’s news and event happening in the Charlotte, North Carolina area!

  • Wednesday, May 16th. Beer School. Carolina Beer Temple Matthews. 7 pm-8:30 pm. Class is in session! Our very own Adam Glover (Head Brewer at Seaboard Brewing – Taproom – Wine Bar) will be hosting our next session of Beer School on Wednesday, May 16th at 7pm!
    Each Beer School session will focus on one style of beer (but we may shake things up occasionally). We will have 4 examples of that style on-tap. The topics include Introduction To & History Of The Style, Brewing Process, Brewery Examples, Sampling, and Q&A. We plan on getting eclectic kegs from small breweries across the state for Beer School sessions whenever possible (when we do, you will be the first to taste it!). And, whenever possible, we will bring in a guest brewer to co-host the session with Adam!
    This coming session’s topic is still TBD so stay tuned!
    Tickets are just $20 (paid in advance) and     include a flight of the 4 beers from the session, a 12oz draft of your choice of one of the 4 beers and 1.5 hours of Adam’s schoolin’!
    Attendance is limited – please stop by the Carolina Beer Temple or give us a     call to purchase your tickets for just $20. They are sure to go fast!
  • Wednesday, May 16th. NoDa Pint Night at WOB (World of Beer). World of Beer Charlotte Epicenter. 6 pm-9 pm. Come help us support our local Brewery of the Month, NoDa Brewing company! They are a great partner and have provided some awesome brews including their Passionfruit Gose!
  • Thursday, May 17th. Wise Man Brewing/Fiddlin’ Fish Brewing! Carolina Beer Temple Arysley. 6 pm-10 pm. Join us Thursday (May 17th) for a Fiddlin’ Fish Brewing Company/ Wise Man Brewing joint Tap Takeover! We will be featuring several tasty beers from them and discounted pints and flights will be available all day long!
    Updated Tap List:
    From Fiddlin’ Fish:
    Ardmore Amber Ale
    NE IPA
    Vanilla Coffee Porter
    From Wise Man:
    Shape Shifter – Coffee Blonde
    Chasing Happiness – Hefeweizen
    Pie on the Weekend – Blueberry DIPA
    See you this Thursday at the Temple!
  • Thursday, May 17th. Pups & Brews at Pop the Top. Pop the Top Craft Bottle Shop. 6 pm-9 pm. RescuedMe invites you out to Pop the Top Craft Beer Shop for an evening of pups & brews. Come meet our rescue pups & enjoy some of our very own festival brew crafted by Triple C Brewing Company. New to our festival is the Pet Wants Charlotte: The Urban Feed Store pup playland & when you attend this event you will get a sneak peek into this fun festival addition.
  • Friday, May 18th. Southern Soul Food & Cider. Red Clay Ciderworks. 7:30 pm-9 pm. Tickets http://www.eventbrite.com. The Gourmand Chef and Red Clay Ciderworks are pairing up to bring you their locally made cider and dynamic small plates of delectableness! This is a fun night of socializing and noshing you won’t want to miss (see line-up below)!
    This is a ticketed event ONLY, so don’t wait to get your seat. Ticket holders please check in at the bar upon arrival.
    1st Course: Assorted Southern Hors D Oeuvres | Pimento Cheese | House Pickles | Deviled Ham | Boiled Peanuts
    2nd Course: Buttermilk Fried Chicken | Beans | Corn | Black Eyed Peas | Butter Lettuce | Real Buttermilk Ranch
    3rd Course: Grilled NC Shrimp | Jimmy Red Corn Grits | Tasso Ham | Peppers & Onions | Creamy Gravy
    4th Course: BBQ Glazed Pork Belly | Collards | Field Peas | Cornbread
    5th Course: Crispy Bread Pudding | Peach | Pecan | Bourbon Caramel
  • Friday, May 18th. 5th Year Anniversary Hoppy Hour. Stoke Charlotte. 6 pm-9 pm. Let’s celebrate our 5th birthday with a Hoppy Hour curated by Chef-Chris Coleman and our friends the NCBeerGuys. Plus, we will be joined by the live music of River Ratz & our the RescuedMe Hops Fest brew crafted byTriple C Brewing Company.
  • Saturday, May 19th. Bottle Release Réserve Blanc. Wooden Robot Brewery. 10 am-11:59 am. The exclusive bottle release of Réserve Blanc – Sour Golden Ale Aged in Sauvignon Blanc Barrels
    Saturday, May 19th at 10am
    Doors will open at 10am and bottle sales will commence in the Kre8 Gastropub. We have a limited quantity of small pours on draft for on-site consumption in the Wooden Robot taproom (5oz. for $6)
    Please keep in mind, like our other Reserve Series Releases, there is a very limited quantity of this bottle!
    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
    This sour golden ale was aged for over a year in Sauvignon Blanc barrels. Fruity esters and funky Brett aromatics balance rich wine barrel notes. Lightly carbonated to preserve the delicate wine barrel character of the beer. Unfiltered and bottle conditioned, so please pour carefully.
    __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
    $20 (+tax) per 500mL bottle
    Limit 4 bottles per person
    Cheers, see you all on Saturday 05.19!
  • Saturday, May 19th-20th. Meck Dec Day! Carolina Beer Temple Arysley. We’re throwing together a special Meck Dec Day tap list this year to celebrate the ORIGINAL (maybe) declaration of independence made in the 13 colonies during the American Revolution.
    _______
    The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence was written and signed on May 20th, 1775 by a committee of citizens of Mecklenburg County, who declared independence from Great Britain after hearing of the battle of Lexington. If the story is true, the Mecklenburg Declaration preceded the United States Declaration of Independence by more than a year.
    _______
    Although the authenticity of this declaration is hard to prove what’s not disputed is how awesome the Mecklenburg craft beer scene is! Come on by this Saturday and let’s stay crafty Meck heads!
    TAPLIST:
    NoDa Brewing Company | 1775 | Pale Ale
    The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery | Captain Jack | Pilsner
    The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery | Hornet’s Nest | Hefeweizen
    Catawba Brewing Co. – Charlotte, NC | CLT | IPA
  • Sunday, May 20th, Adoption Event at Birdsong Brewery. Birdsong Brewing Co. 1 pm-4 pm. Come meet our adoptable dogs at Birdsong on May 20th from 1-4 pm!
  • Tuesday, May 22nd. Woody & Wilcox’s Hop Experiment Party! NoDa Brewing Company. 5 pm-7 pm. Join us for The The Woody and Wilcox Show‘s Hop Experiment Party (formerly known as Beer Club)! As always, a surprise will be awaiting anyone that joins us, and TIN Kitchen will be on the premises serving up delicious dinner!
    Never been? Not to worry! Anyone (21+) is free to swing by and join in on the fun. See below for a list of upcoming Hop Experiment Party dates:
    – Tuesday, June 19
    – Tuesday, July 17
    – Tuesday, August 21  
  • Tuesday, May 22nd. NoDable Release: Pineapple Lime Gose. NoDa Brewing Company. 4 pm-9 pm. Every single week, we release a brand new “NoDable” beer on Tuesday! This week’s new NoDable is Pineapple Lime Gose, a refreshingly tart brew that’s perfect for the summer.
    While you’re here, be sure to try a few of our 25+ brews and some TIN Kitchen for dinner. And, don’t forget you can take this week’s NoDable and many of our other beers to-go in a crowler!

Birdsong Brewing Co. IPA Series Goat Fuzz IPA

Posted on by Evan

Pick up Birdsong Brewing Co. IPA Series Goat Fuzz IPA, 6.8% ABV at the Birdsong Brewery over the weekend, this was another IPA Series brewery only release. Goat Fuzz IPA brewed with Ekuanot (Ee-kiwa-not) hops for their rich hop oil content. Goat Fuzz IPA pours light orange color with a three finger tight yet billowing white white foamy head that stick around for what seem like an eternity giving off nice hopes notes with aromas of slight tropical fruits with a fruity bitter flavor of orange candy, orange peels, papaya, lime and melon with a nice touch of bitterness hitting the back of your mouth with a nice hoppy bitter fruit finish and an nice smooth fruit bitter aftertaste with a mildly medium mouthfeel. Birdsong Brewing IPA Series Goat Fuzz IPA is a great beer an well deserving of an A. It is well brewed with a delicious flavor that doesn’t;t overpower the taste buds. If you have a chance to have Goat Fuzz IPA then I highly recommend that you have it! Cheers! please enjoy responsibly!

Pop the Top Craft Bottle Shop One Year Anniversary

Posted on by Evan

One year ago yesterday in Southend Charlotte, North Carolina a wonderful couple, Ketan and Kathy decided to open a craft beer bottle shop. This past Saturday I went to Pop the Top Bottle Shop (116 West Blvd Charlotte, NC 28203). They had a good turn out, there were a nice sized crowed of people there with a line to order beer from their bar which they had specialty beers on a few of their taps. I had Ponysaurus Brewing Co. Amber’s Ale, which was the first Ponysauras beer I’ve had, I will be going to more of this Ponysauras Brewing and their beers in the near future. Pop the Top also handed out free beer glasses to the first fifty costumers, as well as representatives from Souther Pines Brewing Co located here in North Carolina pouring free tasting sized samples of their beer. I had their Peach IPA and Vitamin Sea, both were very good and yes I will be looking into their beers. Pop the Top did have some food on hand but more like snacks and such, The food was good. Overall the one-year anniversary at Pop the Top Bottle Shop was great. It is a great place to go for a beer and take some home. Speaking of buying beer to take home, just recently they have had crowlers which is similar to a growler but it’s a 32 ounce can that is filled from the tap and then the open top is sealed. I think that a crowler is a bit better than a traditional growler. It’s sealed better and will stay some what fresher before opening it. My advise on growlers and crowlers is to fill it with a beer that you can’t otherwise buy in a can/bottle. I had a good time at Pop the Top Bottle Shop’s one-year anniversary. Thanks to the entire staff there for doing a fabulous job of service/selling fabulous beer. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

 

Lagunitas Brewing 2018 Onehitter Series The Waldos’ Special Ale

Posted on by Evan

Lagunitas Brewing The Waldos’ Special Ale, 11.3% ABV part of the breweries yearly Onehitter Series (this is 2018) and is a very popular beer among craft beer drinkers. The Waldos’ Special Ale is classified as a triple IPA, now I don’t very many or any of this sub-style. The beer was named after a Groupon high school friends in the 70’s that would always meet in front of the school every afternoon at 4:20 for an adventure. That’s where the 420 reference comes from. The Waldos’ Special Ale pours a bright orange color with a one finger quickly fading white head that’s leave the tiniest halo behind giving you alcoholic bitter grapefruit aromas that lead to a big strong boozy bitter flavor with big bitter grapefruit that really shines on the back of your tongue with a hoppy bitter alcoholic finish and a hoppy aftertaste that’s is just as alcoholic with a somewhat fuller mouthfeel. This is a big beer but a good one, I think its an A-. It might be a little too boozy/alcoholic and if you were to have had more than one it probably would kill your palate. But Lagunitas Brewing The Waldos’ Special Ale is good for one. Cheers! please enjoy responsibly!

Appalachian Mountain Brewery Zest Yo’self Grapefruit IPA

Posted on by Evan

I picked up Appalachian Mountain Brewery Zest Yo’self Grapefruit IPA, 6.8% ABV and 66 IBUs from Pop the Top Bottle Shop here in Southend area of Charlotte, North Carolina, and they are having their one year anniversary this coming Saturday. I posted more information about the event in this week’s The Beer News. I will be in attendance. Zest Yo’self Grapefruit IPA brewed Boone, with grapefruit zest, pulp, and juice, NC pours a deep orange/ruby red color with a two finger stead white head that leaves minimal lacing behind give off fruity grapefruit bitter aromas with Grapefruit flavors with nice bitter hop/grapefruit notes that are mild upfront and become a bit strong towards the back of the tongue with a smooth bitter fruit finish and a grapefruit bitter aftertaste with a fuller mouthfeel. This beer has too much bitter grapefruit to it that holds it back giving it a C. This is not a bad beer but it’s not a great one it’s average and I find that the beer’s flavor profile would overwhelm your taste buds after about two or three. I might have this again but too soon. Try if you like but just one. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Lagunitas Brewing Company 2018 Onehitter Series Eroica

Posted on by Evan

This Lagunitas Brewing Company 2018 Onehitter Eroica, 7.0% ABV a Flanders Red/ traditional farmhouse ale is part of yearly Onehitter series beer from this Petaluma, California brewer and is aged in red wine oak barrels with Brettanomyces yeast. Lagunitas says that Eroica is a golden saison-sour. Eroica pours a deep orange color with a quickly fading half finger white head with fruity aromas that are tart with touches of sourness that lead you into a fruity tart/semi-sour flavor that is a bit alcoholic on the back of the tongue with a nice tarted sour finish and a funky sour tart fruit aftertaste that lingers coating your entire mouth with a light to medium mouthfeel. Lagunitas Brewing Company 2018 Onehitter Eroica is a good beer but the stronger alcoholic notes hold it back just a bit giving this funky beer a B-. I didn’t think the alcoholic noted were that bad, no I just didn’t think it went along with the rest of Eroica’s flavor profile. I might go for this again but not right after finishing the first. It would get to be too much on your taste buds after one or so. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly

Bell’s Brewing Oarsmen Ale

Posted on by Evan

I have always heard good things about the Bell’s Brewery in Michigan. But I have only had one of their beers thus far, Oberon, which I have reviewed a while back. But now I have Oarsman Ale, a Berliner Wiess, 4.0% ABV. This is a wheat beer style from the Berlin area of Germany. Bell’s uses traditional sour mash methods to brew this year round. beer Oarsman Ale pours a hazy straw like color with a head that does fade quickly. I sound some small amounts of light trying to come through the glass and lots of carbonation. The beer was very effervescent looking. The aroma is of tart citrus like fruit with a hint of wheat malts. Overall the aroma is more on the week side of the scale. The taste is at first fruity with nice effervescent feel. Then you get a light fruit sweetness, followed by a little fruity tartness towards the end. The mouthfeel is somewhat light with a tart but slightly tangy finish. The aftertaste is tart leaning slightly towards sour. Overall not a bad beer, so I say this is a B- beer, it doesn’t blow my mind but does taste good. I found this to have a nice fruitiness about it. I would have this again and would recommend this. I am not saying this is one of my new favorites or anything. But I did enjoy this just enough for B-. So please go and try this for yourself as see what you think of Bell’s Oarsman Ale. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

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

  • Wednesday, May 9th. Bell’s Brewing Tapping. Duckworth’s Grill and Taphouse Huntersville. 6 pm. Bell’s reps will be here passing out beer samples and Bell’s merchandise! On tap: Two Hearted, Oberon, Larry’s Latest Sour
  • Thursday, May 10th. Southern Tier/Victory! (tap takeover) Carolina Beer Temple Ayrsley. 6 pm-10 pm. Join us Thursday (May 10th) for a Victory Beer/ Southern Tier Brewing Company joint Tap Takeover! We will be featuring several tasty beers from them and discounted pints and flights will be available all day long! The tap list is still being determined so please stay tuned. See you at the Temple!
  • Thursday, May 10th. Pink tp Drink 2018. Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. 6 pm-9 pm. Tickets at eventbrite.com Please find your best pink outfit and join Team AmWins, Team Libstrong/Drew’s Crew, and Team Reeb for a casual evening at Sugar Creek Brewery, Broken Spoke & Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. Each venue has graciously opened their doors to our teams. We will have live music, and a fresh beer with appetizers at each brewery for you to enjoy. So grab a date, find something pink, and celebrate with 24 Hours of Booty and our teams in an effort to raise funds for an awesome cause!!!
  •  Friday, May 11th. Pac Man and Pints. Lucky’s Bar and Arcade. 5 pm- 2 am. Tickets at groupon.com. Come One Come All, to Lucky’s Bar and Arcade and check out this awesome event, valued to save you over $17!!!
    This inaugural event aims to bring out all 21 and over video game fanatics to mingle in this retro bar filled with craft beer and more than 40 classic arcade games, including the signature Pac Man. The fun starts later in the evening and lasts until midnight. Once at the bar, guests will get to taste test up to four different, special-selected craft beers while taking advantage of the other classic arcade games with their 20 tokens. As gamers button mash their way to victory, the DJ spins old-school party tunes to keep in theme with the nostalgic atmosphere.
  •  Friday, May 11th-12th. 2018 North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival. Friday 3 pm- 10 pm & Saturday 11 am-11pm An amazing day of local craft beer and live music and it all takes place on a non-profit historic site and farm just minutes outside of Charlotte in Huntersville, NC.
    This year Friday Night Jam will be held on the main festival grounds (not the campground) and features Acoustic Syndicate, Larry Keel Experience, and Josh Daniel / Mark Schimick Project! Tickets for the Friday Night Jam may be purchased below.
    NOTE THAT THERE IS NOT A TASTING SESSION ON FRIDAY, ONLY ON SATURDAY.
    For all the info go to www.ncbrewsmusic.com or follow us on Facebook @NCBMF
  • Saturday, May 12th. IPA Series Release #4 Goat Fuzz Single Hop. Birdsong Brewing Co. 12 pm- 10 pm. So far we’ve brought you, Sexy Hop, Turn to Stone, and Hazy Sexy Cool in our 2018 IPA Series and we’re ready to give you #4 in the series, Goat Fuzz Single Hop IPA!
    Goat Fuzz, a huge hit at our 6th Anniversary, is next in our IPA series. Our brewers were drawn to Ekuanot™ hops, pronounced “Ee-kwa-not”, due to their rich hop oil content and aromatics of orange peel, papaya, lime, and melon. Sometimes you just feel like frolicking through fields of bright aromatic delicious fruits, butting your horns, gobbling it all up, and causing all kinds of mischief. Birdsong understands…This single hop IPA has got you covered.
    Food – Strudelteig Food Truck 4:30-9pm
    Live music – The Abbey Elmore Band 5:00-7:00
  • Saturday, May 12th. Pop the Top 1-year Anniversary. Pop the Top Bottle Shop. 12 pm -11 pm. We are celebrating our 1 year anniversary & want to say THANK YOU for an amazing first year!! We will have a free pint glass for the first 50 customers, free food throughout the day from local food truck New Wrap Order and special beer releases all day. The SouthEnd Art & Soul Festival will be right next to us on Camden Rd as well and we would love for everyone to check both of us out – Cheers!!
  • Sunday, May 13th. 2dh Annual Crawfish Boil at Sycamore! Sycamore Brewing. 12 pm- 7pm. Join us for the 2nd Annual Crawfish Boil in the Sycamore Beer Garden by Kickstands Kitchen, out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana!
    Live music, Craft Beer, Wine and Cider, Great times!
    *3lbs for $20* Comes with corn and potatoes.
    *No pre-sold tickets – first come, first serve until sold-out*
  • Sunday, May 13th. Mother’s Day Chocolate Mead, Roses, and Truffles! GoodRoad CiderWorks.  12 pm-7 pm. Come join us on Mother’s Day for a limited (5 gallon) batch of a modified version of our Cherish chocolate mead. All moms will receive a rose in appreciation of the hard work they do.
    We will also have raspberry truffles from The Underground Truffle, LLC to pair with the chocolate mead. Yum!
  • Monday, May 14th. Coronado Brewing Tapping! Duckworth’s Grill and Taphouse Ballantyne. 6pm -8pm Rep on hand for sampling and giveaways – glassware, stickers, and more!
    Beer List:
    CoastWise Session IPA
    Orange Ave. Wit
    Peach Cruiser Hazy IPA
    Cliff Dive IPA
  • Tuesday, May 15th. Bold Missy Dessert Pairing. The Casual Pint (Rivergate). 6 pm-8 pm. Tickets at events.r20.constantcontact.com. Join us for a special Dessert & Beer Pairing, guided by Bold Missy’s Head Brewer & Featuring Bold Missy Beers paired perfectly with a trio of succulent sweet desserts. Tickets are $25 and seating is limited, grab yours now: http://beerlife.co/missy


Founders Brewing Co. Solid Gold Premium Lager

Posted on by Evan

Founders Brewing Co. Solid Gold Premium Lager, 4.4% ABV and 20 IBUs is a relatively new beer from the Grand Rapids, Michigan brewer, and is part of a wave of craft lagers hitting the market recently. Solid Gold Premium Lager a canned beer that pours a clear golden hue with a fine two fingers white head that slowly creeps into somewhat nice lacing in the glass giving your nose crisp aromas of midwestern grains with a little faint hop note that lead a taste of light refreshing crisp flavor of light malts with a bit hop a hoppy corn note towards the back of your tongue with a nice crisp refreshing gain like finish that followed by a faintly hoppy yet crisp aftertaste all with a light mouthfeel. This is a quite easy drinking beer. You can sit and have several with out wrecking your palette. But I have had lagers that’s are a bit better, so Founders Brewing Co. Solid Gold Premium Lager receives a C+. It’s slightly better than just average and it’s no Budweiser, Miller, or Coors beer. It’s definitely a craft lager. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Mikkeller Brewing San Diego Drinco De Mayo

Posted on by Evan

Happy Cinco De Mayo! We have this Mikkeller Brewing San Diego Drinco De Mayo Mexican Style Lager, 4.8% ABV. Mikkeller Brewing has several breweries around the world originating in Denmark. Drinco De Mayo pours a clear golden color with a foamy two and a half finger white head that’s slow fading into nice lacing giving off corn and grain aromas with slight hop scents with a faint dry cracker like note as well that come together in a flavor or corn and grains with a hoppy semi-sweet bitterness in the middle and slightly hitting the back of your tongue with a nice crisp finish and a clean and light yet slight bitter aftertaste with a light mouthfeel. I didn’t find Mikkeller Brewing San Diego Drinco De Mayo Mexican Style Lager to be the best it was average, getting a C. Good effort from Mikkeller Brewing San Diego. You could have a few of these no problem but I don’t think I would come back to this Mexican Style Lager. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!