Blog

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

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

  • Thursday, February 15th Carolina Beer Temple. An Evening with Blackberry Farm Brewery. 6 pm-9 pm. On Thursday, February 15th the Carolina Beer Temple will be hosting an evening with Blackberry Farm Brewery from Walland, TN.
    We will be featuring flights and discounted drafts all day from Blackberry Farm Brewery. The tap list is still TBD so stay tuned!
    We hope you’ll join us as we spend An Evening With Blackberry Farm Brewery on Thursday, February 15th!
  • Thursday, February 15th Trackside Crafts. Juicy Jay Variants. 7 pm-10 pm. If you survived VD, come on back the next day and experience all the Juicy Jay variants! Pineapple, Apricot, & Blood Orange will all be on tap together. Enjoy a pint of all 3, and we’ll help you order an Uber on your phone, free of charge! I mean, you pay for the Uber, but we’ll help them get here.
  • Thursday, February 15th NoDa Brewing Co. Beer & Chocolate Pairing. 6 pm-8 pm. OK, Charlotte, it’s worth the wait because we’re bringing our A GAME to this one! Here’s what’s on tap:
    Texas Brown Ale with a Caramel Sea Salt Truffle
    Coco Loco Porter with a Coconut Almond Truffle
    Hot Pistol with a Black Raspberry Truffle
    Premium Roast Coffee Stout with a BBA Coffee Reduction Truffle
    Seating is limited and will sell out quickly-tickets are only $17 and available at the ticket link above. See you there!
  • Friday, February 16th. The Unknown Brewing Co. Rarest Bean Taproom Only Release. 3 pm-10 pm. Sometimes living without boundaries requires us to seek out ingredients that are extremely hard to find. This Imperial Pastry Stout is brewed with chocolate malts, milk sugar, Black Ivory Coffee and wild Tongan vanilla (2 of the rarest beans in the world). Thus making this the most exclusive beer we have ever made.
    There will only be 100 bottles for sale, there will be no distribution and will be available in the taproom only on Friday, February 16th.
  • Friday, February 16th Triple C Brewing Co. Griffith Street Gose Release. 4 pm-10 pm. We brewed a sour and salty Gose with our friends down the street at Lenny Boy Brewing Co.! Stop by a try a pint this Friday, Bleu Barn Bistro will be on site serving dinner!! Lenny Boy will also have the beer on tap soon!
  • Friday, February 16th Brixx Pizza Uptown. Sexual Chocolate Fresh Keg Friday. 5 pm. Join us as we tap a keg of Foothills’ Sexual Chocolate 🍫🍺
  • Saturday, February 17th D9 Brewing Co. Defying Gravity 4th Edition: L1 Gate. 12 pm-10 pm. Join us on Saturday, February 17th from 12-10pm for the release of Defying Gravity 4th Edition “L1 Gate”!
    Defying Gravity represents an ongoing exploration and expansion of the universe of sour beer. Propelled by three distinct fermentations, these unblended ales defy ALC/VOL gravity, and will transport your consciousness to a new reality. This edition, Lagrangrian One Gate, mixes black raspberries with a special ten spice blend, creating flavors that will slingshot you to a higher orbit. ABV 14%
    Food Truck: Nana’s Porch 5-9pm
    Live Music: Staton Bush Project 7-10pm
  • Sunday, February 18th The Celler at Duckworth Uptown. Birdsong Beer Dinner. 1 pm- 4pm. We’re teaming up with one of our favorite local breweries to create an impeccable 5-course dinner paired with some of Birdsong’s best beers. Seats are limited!
    Tickets are $50 plus tax and can be purchased in person or by calling The Cellar after 5pm at 980-349-4078
    Beer & Food menu subject to change:
    Frisse Salad: Be-Bob-A-Ree-Bop Stout
    Grilled Pear
    Fried serrano ham
    House sundried cherry tomatoes
    Balsamic stout vinaigrette
    Chicken Skin Nachos: Turn To Stone IPA
    Fried chicken skin chips
    Beer cheese
    Pickled vegetables
    Lamb Bolognese: Elijah Craig Barrel Aged Prehistoric Dog Russian Imperial Stout
    House ground lamb
    Pecorino romano
    N.Y. Strip Medallions: Clustershuck Oyster Stout
    Stilton brûlée
    Fried oyster mushrooms
    Parsnip puree
    Nutella Cheesecake: Barrel Aged St. Tuber Abbey Ale
    Stout almond butter
    Spiced cherry fluid gel     
  • Monday, February 19th, NoDa Brewing Co. 50 Shades of Haze Release. 12 pm-9 pm. n collaboration with Lenny Boy Brewing Co., we’re thrilled to release 50 Shades of Haze. This deliciously juicy pale ale was brewed with Ekuanot, Cryohops and a boatload of Amarillo hops. With a huge addition of oats in the mash, this 5.7% brew has a silky smooth mouthfeel.
    Kick back and relax with a few of these brews on President’s Day — starting early at 12 pm — and enjoy grub from TIN Kitchen (starting at 5 pm).
    **CROWLER SALE: For this day only, we’ll be selling 32 oz. crowlers of this brew for just $10!**  
  • Tuesday, February 20th. Noda Brewing Co. NoDable Release: Citra Hop Experiment (#9). 4 pm- 9pm. Every single week, we release a brand new “NoDable” beer on Tuesday! This week’s new brew the next version of Hop Experiment featuring Citra hops.
    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!

Foothills Brewing People’s Moravian Porter

Posted on by Evan

I am a huge fan of cookies and I especially like Moravian Cookies so I saw this Foothills Brewing People’s Moravian Porter, 5.8% ABV with 34 IBUs which is more of a cinnamon version of their good People’s Porter. Winston-Salam, North Carolina’s where Foothills Brewing is located was originally settled by Moravians and is still home to the country’s second-largest Moravian population and this beer is to celebrate the area’s local heritage crafted from spices that have made Moravian cuisine a staple of holiday celebrations there. Moravian Porter pours a dark/black inky color with a big fluffy yet thick four finger beige head with aromas of big cinnamon with little whiffs of a sweetness to the nose that leads down to flavor of big cinnamon, with semi-sweet spicy notes with some smoothness and a little bitterness hitting the back of the tongue, with a spicy finish and a little bitterness, a cinnamon cookie aftertaste with a somewhat full mouthfeel. I like Foothills Brewing People’s Porter, but Moravian Porter isn’t so good. I give Foothills People’s Moravian Porter a D. I am not a big fan of cinnamon especially when it is the only ingredient. That’s all I tasted not much else and yet I wanted more than just cinnamon. I would try this beer. I don’t like it even though I wanted and Foothills Brewing is a good brewery they just missed on this Porter with me. Cheers! please enjoy responsibly.

Burial Beer Co. Shadowclock Pilsner

Posted on by Evan

IMG_5656

I picked up Burial Beer Co. Shadowclock Pilsner, 5.5% ABV with 35 IUBs at Good Bottle Co. very recently. This beer is brewed in Asheville, N.C. with German Barley, American Corn and dry-hopped with Saphir and Tettnanger hops and is unfiltered. Shadowclock Pilsner pours a  yellow like color with a thin two finger head that falls steadily back into itself giving you sense of smell aroma of a flowery sweet lemon aroma that leads you to flavor of more floral flowers with a touch of honey sweetness with very faint lemon note that comes to a bitter yet slightly hoppy flavor on the back that finishes semi-sweet and faintly hoppy with a honeyflower aftertaste with a light mouthfeel. I do find that Burial Beer Co. beer to be good and this was close I give this a B- just a little too hoppy on the end for a pilsner but wasn’t terrible and yes I would have this again as well as recommend this Burial Beer Co. Shadowclock Pilsner to you. It was interesting and tasty, and worth picking up a few. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Holy City Brewing Paradise Session India Pale Ale

Posted on by Evan

IMG_5651.JPG

Holy City Brewing (Charleston, South Carolina), Paradise Session India Pale Ale, 4.7% ABV is brewed with Citra and Mosaic hops and to celebrate the prevention of drilling of the South Carolina Coast and support The Coastal Conservation League. Paradise pours a hazy yellow color with a thin two finger white head that fades into itself in a rapid manner giving off aromas of tropical sweet fruits with a nice nostril smack of bitterness with a little floral aroma that leads you to the sip of tropical fruit flavors with a nice serge of bitter floral notes that are semi-sweet that all come together to a bitter tropical finish that is a bit smooth and an aftertaste of bitter tropical fruit and floral notes with a thin dry like mouthfeel. Overall Paradise Session India Pale Ale wasn’t bad but I found the flavor to be just a tiny bit over what I would call a sessionable flavor and that gives it a C+. I mean I could probably drink three and then I would be tired of the flavor of this beer. But the flavor is spot on for a more tropical IPA and I would recommend it to anyone especially in the summertime. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!     

Throwback Thursday: Abita Brewing Company Pecan Harvest Ale

Posted on by Evan

Orginally posted on November 4, 2011. First post ever!

fullsizeoutput_75c

If you are not familiar with Abita beer then please familiarize yourself with them now. Every season of the year Abita brews a different harvest beer. One for each season spring, summer, fall, and winter. This particular seasonal harvest ale (fall season) is brewed with pale, Munich biscuit and caramel malts and Willamette hops. Real Louisiana roasted pecans are added in the brewhouse. The Abita brewery uses natural spring water from the Abita Springs. This ale has ABV (alcohol by volume) of 5%. This harvest ale pours a nice orangey amber color. The clean white head fades away quick. This Abita has a nice aroma of fresh pecans with a slight caramel scent. On the first taste, you get a nutty flavor followed by a buttery creamy taste. Aftertaste you’ll find it to be creamy and rich almost binging your grandmother’s nutty-sweet pecan pie to your mind and a smile. It has a smooth aftertaste,  Its good! I love this one, it grew on me and I will buy it again. Abita does a great job with a lot of its beers, I can’t say the same for their brewery tour. That’s a topic for another post. So grab one now before its gone and share with family friends, and loved ones! Cheers! Please Drink Responsibly!

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

Here are this Week’s news and events happing in and around the Charlotte, NC area.

  • Friday, February 9th River’s Edge Craft Dinner U.S. National Whitewater Center-Wooden Robot. 6:30 pm-9 pm. Ticket info USNWC.org. Join us at River’s Edge for Craft Dinner, taking place Friday evenings from December 1st through February 9th. Enjoy a five-course dinner created by Executive Chef Michael Rayfield with a 6 oz. beer pairing for each course. Each night will feature a different regional brewery including New Sarum Brewing Company, Legion Brewing, Triple C Brewing Co., Sycamore Brewing, Highland Brewing Company, Legal Remedy Brewing Co., Birdsong Brewing Company, Lenny Boy Brewing Co., Sugar Creek Brewing Company, Wooden Robot Brewery.
    EVENT DETAILS:
    Location: U.S. National Whitewater Center
    Brewery: Wooden Robot Brewery
    Price: $60 per person
    Time: 6:30 -9:00 pm
    Registration closes the day prior to each event at midnight
    Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are available. Please select your dietary preference after selecting a date for registration.
    Suitable for ages 21 and up
    UPGRADE: CHEF’S TABLE
    Upgraded experience featuring a chef-prepared meal inside the kitchen
    Interact directly with the Chef to learn how each dish is created, how ingredients are sustainably sourced, and receive a kitchen tour
    Price: $70 per person
    Time: 6:30 -9:00 pm
    MENU
    http://usnwc.org/relax/adventure-dining/rivers-edge-craft-dinner/   
  • Saturday, February 10th Chocolate Covered Pretzel Stout Release. Triple C Brewing Company. 12 pm-10 pm. Bourbon Barrel Aged Chocolate Covered Pretzel Stout is back just in time for Valentines Day! We are bringing back the Coconut Variant and have a new Cinnamon and Cayenne Pepper variant! All three will be on draft and in bombers.
    Limits – 6/3/3 per customer while they last!!  
  • Saturday, February 10th Juice Willis Can Release. Sycamore Brewing. 12 pm-11 pm. Welcome to the party, pal! Blast off on a Nelson and Galaxy hop juice ride! Juice Willis is heading for cans!
  •  Saturday, February 10th IPA Series Release #2 Turn To Stone IPA. Birdsong Brewing Company Remember the release of Sexy Hop IPA on our 6 year anniversary this past December? Well, that was the first beer in our brand new IPA series & we’re ready to release #2, “Turn to Stone” IPA w/ Medusa Hops! Check out the description below:
    Wild, innovative, and a first for Charlotte Turn to Stone IPA utilizes an entirely new species of hop called Medusa™. With a simple malt bill, we let the hop shine so you can experience the bright aromatics of melon and guava with a light bitterness that leaves a clean and pleasant finish.
    Turn to Stone will be released in the taproom on Saturday, February 10th. Draught & cans will go on sale at 12pm. Cans will be limited & first come first serve. Cheers!
  •  Monday, February 12th Beer and Chocolate Pairing. Catawba Brewing Company Charlotte. 6:30 pm-7:30 pm. Tickets at Eventbrite.com. indulge in different chocolates paired with a flight of Catawba Beer.
    Ticket includes a flight of Catawba Beer which consists of 4 different pours. It also includes 4 different chocolates, one to pair with each beer. Learn how the beer and chocolate were made and why the flavors compliment each other. Experience, Learn and Socialize.
    Additional beer and chocolate will be available for purchase.
    Please be advised some chocolate contains nuts.
    Limited tickets available. Tickets will not be available for purchase onsite. All taxes and fees included in ticket price. Must be 21 to attend.  
  • Tuesday, February 13th Birdsong Local Beer & Dessert Paring! Birdsong Brewing Company. 7:30 pm-8:30 pm. Sure, there are plenty of “romantic” things to do around Valentine’s Day but how about a friendly local beer & dessert pairing?
    We decided to take our favs from a few local area bakeries & pair them with some of our favorite cold weather brews from the season! It was hard work coming up with the pairings, but somehow we managed & we think you’ll be delighted! Join us on February 13th at 7:30pm for this special 4-course pairing! This pairing is for EVERYONE! $30 tickets are ONLY AVAILABLE ONLINE IN ADVANCE via Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/birdsong-beer-dessert-pairing-tickets-42127290861
    No tickets will be sold the day of or at the door. Tickets are also limited so please book in advance. The menu is posted below, cheers!
    This collaboration would not have been possible without Amélie’s French Bakery & Café, Central Coffee Co., FuManChu Cup Cakes, & Golden Cow Creamery!

Hi-Wire Brewing Hi-Wire Lager

Posted on by Evan

I had Hi-Wire Brewing Hi-Wire Lager a little while back at a friends house and I thought to myself that I should review this beer. I recently picked up Hi-Wire Lager at my local Harris Teeter grocery store. Hi-Wire Lager is brewed with light Pilsen malt & German hops that pours a bright yellow color with a bright two finger slowly fading white head with sweet aromas of Pilsen malts and a light grain note that is accompanied by a taste of a sweet malt flavor of light crispy grains that finish with a light crisp sweetness with a sweet bread like aftertaste  that doesn’t stick around to long with a light mouth feel that is refreshing and smooth. When I first had this lager a while back it was great and still after having  Hi-Wire Brewing Hi-Wire Lager it’s still good, getting an A. Hi-Wire Lager is a great craft lager and one that is very sessionable with ease of dinking. I highly recommend you try Hi-Wire Brewing Hi-Wire Lager and buy many it’s that good! Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Destihl Brewery Abby’s Single

Posted on by Evan

IMG_5634

Destihl Brewery In Bloomington Illinois brews Abby’s Single, 5.5% BVV with 22 IBUs which is classified as a Belgian Pale Ale or a beer that was brewed by the monks for everyday consumption. Abby’s Single pours a somewhat orange color with a one and a half finger white head that fades into a little halo with a spicy phenolics noted aroma with a faint note of yeast that pulls you to a semi-sweet yet spicy phenolic and yeasted note with faint fruit flavor that has a very faint and weak bitter note on the end and finishes with a slight spicy yeast note and an aftertaste of  some fruit that is a bit on the faint side with a light mouthfeel. This was not the best Abby Single I’ve had but it was not bad, it’s a B-. Not bold enough flavors on this to push it to a great A+ beer, but it was good and tasty enough. I would recommend trying Destihl BreweryAbby’s Single it’s worth a try I think. Cheers! please enjoy responsibly! 

Throwback Thursday: Fullsteam Brewery Working Man’s Lunch

Posted on by Evan

IMG_2554

One reason for buying beer for me is the label, it can depend on how neat and/or interesting it is. Another reason for buying a beer could be the style of beer or the brewery. Well I bought a Fullsteam beer recently because of the fact that it is a Fullsteam beer, the label looked very interesting and I like the style. I bought Fullsteam Working Man’s Lunch, Everyday Chocolate Ale. 5.7% ABV. Fullsteam is a local North Carolina brewery in Durham, North Carolina. The name of this beer is a tribute to the original working man’s lunch a Moon Pie (big chocolate covered crusted cookie/pie with marshmallow inside) and a cola. Working Man’s Lunch is a chocolate brown ale, brewed with chocolate from Raleigh’s Escazu Artisan Chocolate and Weizen Yeast. Sounds interesting. Working Man’s Lunch pours a brown color with dark ruby brown edges and a two finger white head that fades nicely into some bubbly lacing. I found no amounts of light coming through with a little carbonation bubble, not to say this isn’t carbonated. The aroma is sweet with hints of chocolate and fine yeasty notes. I didn’t get much Weizen aroma from this. Working Man’s Lunch has a nice sweet taste in front of nice light cocoa/chocolate flavors. I found a little cola flavor in the middle that was the slightest bit odd but not too bad tasting. I was looking for so weizen like flavors and found none, no banana notes here. But I did get a yeasty flavor on the end that was okay But as this beer warms it becomes more and more of a brown ale. The mouthfeel is high medium and sweet, and Working Man’s Lunch finishes nice silky with a sweet aftertaste that lingers enough for you to really savor Working Man’s Lunch. Overall an interesting brown ale, so I give this a B-.  I didn’t really find any traces of the Weizen flavors here at all, and that brought it down a little, but other than that it was good as a brown ale. Not really overly heavy or thick. I would recommend Fullsteam’s Working Man’s Lunch. So go out and try it! Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

Here are this week’s happenings in and around the Charlotte, NC area.

  • Thursday, February 1st Birdsong Brewing Co. Buffalo Trace Turtles on Pterodactyls. 3 pm-10 pm It’s not every day that we release a 4-pack of barrel aged yumminess! Join us on 2/1 for the release of Buffalo Trace Turtles of Pterodactyls! In case you aren’t familiar, Turtles on Pterodactyls is our beloved Mexicali Stout aged in bourbon barrels! This year Mexicali was aged in Buffalo Trace Distillery bourbon barrels and will be offered in cans instead of bottles! We’ll be releasing it on draught & in 16oz can 4-packs at 3pm on 2/1!
  • Friday, February 2nd U.S. National Whitewater Center. Rivers Edge Craft Dinner with Sugar Creek Brewing Co. 6:30 pm-9 pm Tickets at USNWC.org. Join us at River’s Edge for Craft Dinner, taking place Friday evenings from December 1st through February 9th. Enjoy a five-course dinner created by Executive Chef Michael Rayfield with a 6 oz. beer pairing for each course. Each night will feature a different regional brewery including New Sarum Brewing Company, Legion Brewing, Triple C Brewing Co., Sycamore Brewing, Highland Brewing Company, Legal Remedy Brewing Co., Birdsong Brewing Company, Lenny Boy Brewing Co., Sugar Creek Brewing Company, Wooden Robot Brewery.
    EVENT DETAILS:
    Location: U.S. National Whitewater Center
    Brewery: Sugar Creek Brewing
    Price: $60 per person
    Time: 6:30 -9:00 pm
    Registration closes the day prior to each event at midnight
    Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are available. Please select your dietary preference after selecting a date for registration.
    Suitable for ages 21 and up
    UPGRADE: CHEF’S TABLE
    Upgraded experience featuring a chef-prepared meal inside the kitchen
    Interact directly with the Chef to learn how each dish is created, how ingredients are sustainably sourced, and receive a kitchen tour
    Price: $70 per person
    Time: 6:30 -9:00 pm
    MENU http://usnwc.org/relax/adventure-dining/rivers-edge-craft-dinner/
  • Friday, February 2nd Catawba Brewing Co. Charlotte. King Coconut Release 12 pm-11 pm Western North Carolina’s original coconut beer returns for the 14th year! It was 2004 when Catawba brewers had the stroke of genius to age a rich chocolatey porter on oven-toasted coconut. And this silky smooth “candy bar in a can” has continued to be a crowd favorite every year since, with many a luau held in its honor. King Coconut Porter has traditionally seen a limited summer release to celebrate its tropical side. But in 2018 we’re moving it up to late winter, as an appetizer course before our PB&J release. Because it’s always a good time for liquid dessert! 
  • Saturday, February 3rd Trackside Crafts Nugget Nectar Firkin. 12 pm-10 pm. We are fortunate to have a firkin of Troegs’ excellent Nugget Nectar this year! We’ll tap it, along with a keg of the 2015 Mad Elf. It ages wonderfully, and we’ll have more from Troegs to be featured as well. Don’t miss out on this special cask! Like our page, and follow us on Instagram & Twitter, too!  
  • Sunday, February 4th. Legion Brewing Release Why So Cereal 10 am-8 pm You’ve been waiting patiently… now join us for the release of “Why So Cereal”, our Cinnamon Toast Crunch Blonde Ale in collaboration withCharlotteFive and Queen City Brewers Festival!
    We will be serving up some fun Cinnamon Toast Crunch brunch items to enjoy with your pint full of Saturday morning goodness!
    Thanks to Dave McClure for this awesome name- “Why So Cereal” will be available on tap and in crowlers to-go!
  • Tuesday, February 6th The Casual Pint Troegs Nugget Nectar First Squeeze Event. 6 pm- 8pm. Once a year, as the new hop harvest arrives at Tröegs, we blend super-fresh Nugget, Palisade and Simcoe hops into this Imperial Amber Ale. Excessively dry-hopped, Nugget Nectar is an explosion of pine, resin and mango. Also on tap, some of Troegs R&D Room SCRATCH brews!!