Blog

New Holland Brewing Hoptronix Double India Pale Ale

Posted on by Evan

IMG_5354

I have really had much from New Holland Brewery in New Holland Michigan. I know that they have good beer from what I hear. Well this New Holland Brewing Hoptronix Double India Pale Ale. 9.0% ABV with 70n IBUs came to be from another of my recent Brewpublik deliveries. Hoptronix pours a bright hazy orange color with a one finger white head that quickly fades away with no traces of it behind giving you big hoppy earthy notes with some bitter orange and slight grapefruit. You can really smell that this is a double IPA. Taste has a big bitter hoppy note up front that really hits your tongue then you get some earthy bitter orange and grapefruit in the middle and somewhat sweet notes on the end that all finish with a bitterness and some slight bitter earthy fruit and has a little bitter hopped aftertaste that has a faint grapefruit notes they with a more full mouthfeel. You know that I am not a huge fan of double IPA’s, there are just two or maybe three that I like, but this was not bad once you get past the big bitter wallop upfront it’s not so bad, and I say New Holland Brewing Hoptronix Double India Pale Ale is a B-. But this isn’t one that I would have more than one of. I think that the second would overwhelm your taste buds. But one is good. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!   

Throwback Thursday: Against The Grain Brewiny 35k Stout

Posted on by Evan

This post is from January 15, 2017. 

IMG_4703

I’ve been trying to review more dark beers for The Best Beer Blog because I’ve been reviewing a lot of IPA’s, Pale Ales, and similar type beers. I’m reviewing more dark beer not because I don’t like IPA and/or Pale Ales, this isn’t an IPA beer blog. Here is Against The Grain Brewery, 35K Stout Beer, 7.0% ABV. Against The Grain, Brewing is in Louisville Kentucky. 35K Stout Beer pours a black color with a three finger creamy light beige head that sticks and leaves behind awesome lacing. The aroma is roasted with coffee notes and a slight chocolate sweetness. The aroma is quite good. Taste on 35K Stout Beer is roasted up front with a semi-sweet coffee flavor in the middle and a tingle of a faint bitterness at the very end. The mouthfeel is full and rich with a nice chocolate coffee like finish and an aftertaste of semi-sweet roasted flavors that linger there for what seems like forever. 35K Stout Beer surprised me with its flavors and I was expecting it to be more on the bittersweet side of the stout spectrum.  But that wasn’t the case. 35K Stout Beer is an A. I highly recommend 35K Stout Beer for anyone that is into dark beers. I really enjoyed it and look forward to having this Against The Grain Brewery 35K Stout Beer again. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

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

  • October 5th Thursday 5 pm-7 pm BirdSong Brewing. Solar Event. Red Group is hosting an event at Birdsong Brewery on Thursday, October 5th from 5pm -7:30pm. Come learn how solar can benefit your home or business. Team REDgroup will be on hand for personal discussions as well as a brief presentation regarding solar in NC. Our goals are to provide you with useful information that will help you make an educated decision regarding solar and to enjoy a tasty Birdsong Beer. Please RSVP so we can give Birdsong an idea of how many delicious brews to have ready for us. Contact us with any questions solar@redgroupnc.com OR 877-520-SOLAR. More info: http://bit.ly/2xamvvc
  • October 9th Monday 12 pm Noda Brewing Company. join us for the release of The Woody and Wilcox Show Hop Experiment #6! We’re calling this round Hop Dumpster, because it features Mosaic, Cascade, Ekuanot, Amarillo and Centennial hops! Since it’s Columbus Day, we’ll be opening early to celebrate.
    BONUS: It’s also a Monday, which means it’s You Drink, We Donate – The Sandbox! $1 of every brew you drink in the tap room will be donated to this awesome cause. Plus, TIN Kitchen will be here starting at 5 pm.
  • October 13th Friday 3 pm-10 pm The Unknown Brewing Company Improper Glassware Night. it’s been 2 years so we figured it was time to bring back “Improper Glassware Night” and what better night to bring it back than on Friday the 13th?! So whats Improper Glassware Night? Well, it’s this magnificent night where we ask you to bring the most creative, weirdest, strangest, incredible thing you can drink beer out of! Yes, that’s right…we will pour craft beer in ANYTHING you bring in for only $5 and up to 24oz. We will also be giving prizes out for the most “creative”, “best in show” and a few other categories!  So grab a shoe, a pot, a beaker, a trophy, a pimp chalice and come to the brewery ready to be improper.  
  • October 14th Saturday 11 am-11 pm Sugar Creek Brewing is three years old, and we’re celebrating with a 3 Year Anniversary Belgian Beer Fest on Saturday, October 14 from 11 AM to 11 PM! We’ll have a special anniversary flight of Belgian beers (more on that below); a “Kids Zone” with a giant bounce house, games, and face-painting; a special appearance by the Charlotte Hornets mascot,Topgolf, and CrossFit Mecklenburg; live music with The Accidentals and two other local bands; and the Ultimate Craft Beer Lovers’ Giveaway featuring a YETI cooler filled with all the Sugar Creek swag you could ever want! To enter to win this giveaway, you can purchase a $5 giveaway ticket in the taproom ($1 of which will be donated to Michelle’s Mighty Mission, a fundraiser for The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation) anytime between now and our anniversary celebration. We’ll announce the winner at 2:25 PM on October 14! Must be present to win. To get everyone excited for the celebration, we’ll be releasing one Belgian beer every day until the anniversary party starting on Monday, October 9 – see the beer release schedule below:
    Monday 10/9: Brett Saison
    Tuesday 10/10: Biere de Garde
    Wednesday 10/11: Galaxy Dry-Hopped Brett Saison
    Thursday 10/12: Oud Bruin
    Friday 10/13: Citra Dry-Hopped Saison
    On the day of the 3 Year Anniversary Belgian Beer Fest, we’ll be serving special Anniversary Flights featuring four specially brewed Belgian beers:
    1) Belgian Singel – Father Franklin’s Patersbier
    2) Belgian Dubbel – Sugar Creek Dubbel
    3) Belgian Tripel – Atmosphera Tripel
    4) Belgian Quad – Sugar Creek XV
  • October 14th Saturday 12 pm-11 pm Sycamore Year Anniversary. cheers to 3 YEARS! Thank you, Charlotte for your support! To show you how much we appreciate you – we want to throw one hell of a party!
    Special beer releases, giveaways, 2 stages with live music, 5 food trucks! It’s going down!!Tag a friend for a chance to win a 3-year anniversary tee + koozie + a case of beer!!!
    Live music by:
    Simplified
    Porch 40
    Falconheart
    Swim In the Wild
    Late Night Special and more.     Food by:
    Papi Queso Food Truck
    TIN Kitchen
    Gyro Twins Truck
    OooWee BBQ

Left Hand Brewing Company Study Abroad Belgian-Style Single Ale

Posted on by Evan

IMG_5349

Belgian beer and pretty good and predictable (the good predictable). This Left Hand Brewing Company Study Abroad Belgian-Style Single Ale, 4.5% ABV out of Longmont Colorado an American example of a Belgian-Style single ale. This is a fall seasonal release that pours an orange color with a slight haze to it and a one and a half finger fizzing white head that is gone as soon as it appears. Study Abroad gives you an aroma of spicy notes with slight mild fruits such as faint orange, that leads to somewhat mild spiced notes with the same mild fruit and a bit of yeast. Nothing to write home about here. Study Abroad finish with a little spiced not and faint yeasted fruit with a mild aftertaste of the same fruited spice that is gone in an instant all with a somewhat medium mouthfeel. I find this style of beer to be a good one, but Left Hand Brewing Company Study Abroad Belgian-Style Single Ale is just close to boring, it’s C+. I thought it had a slight IPA orange flavor it that was least bit odd but not so bad. I do like Left Hand Brewing Company’s beer, they make a fabulous Milk Stout and Nitro Milk Stout, Overall I might go Study Abroad again but not anytime soon! Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly! 

Starr Hill Brewery Last Leaf Maple Brown Ale

Posted on by Evan

IMG_5340

Fall is here. Well, I guess that’s true but it sure feels like summer in most places. But here is a fall beer from the Starr Hill Brewery in Charlottesville Virgina, Last Leaf Maple Brown Ale, 6.1% ABV brewed with real Virgina Maple Suryp. Last Leaf pours a dark amber brown color with ruby brown edges and with a one finger thin beige head that quickly dissipates that gives off sweet maple vanilla notes with a syrupy sweetness and has a taste that is thick with vanilla, maple syrup with a slightly bitter note on toward the back of the mouth to it that sort of brings Last Leaf down a bit. Last Leaf finishes with maple vanilla notes and gives a very bitter yet sweet aftertaste that lings for just a bit before fading into a thickness with a fuller mouthfeel. I went into this beer thinking this should be good, but I was underwhelmed, this beer was not as good, I give Starr Hill Brewery Last Leaf a C-. Some of the flavors were somewhat good but not good enough. I would have like to have a creamier vanilla and maple flavor to this Last Leaf and not any bitter notes to it. That would really help make this beer something good. But it wasn’t what I like in a brown ale. Don’t go for Starr Hill Brewery Last Leaf, please. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!  

Throwback Thursday: Unibroue Raftman

Posted on by Evan

This post is from August 29th, 2014

IMG_2585

Some beers are harder to find than others and that could be due to where that beer brewery is located or that they just do not distribute beer out of their local area and/or state. That could be cost or other reasons. Some beers might just be a seasonal release and some seasons are shorter than others, like fall. Well, I came across a seasonal brew from The Unibroue brewery in Canada, Raftman, 5.5% ABV, a Belgian Pale ale brewed with Peat smoked Whisky malt and also brewed with spices. Unibroue Raftman is brewed in memory of those bygone masters of the forest who were always amenable to settling their differences over ale and a shot of whiskey. I always enjoy Unibroue’s labels, they are always very interesting and they look like they tell some sort of story. Raftman pours a copper brownish slightly murky color with a big three and a half rocky white head that sticks around for a good while and fades into some nice white lacing. I found minimal light coming through the glass with little carbonation due to the murky like coloring. The aroma has the slightest smoky malt scent with a little yeast. The taste on Raftman is smoky like the aroma but just enough to let you know that there are smoked whiskey malts. I also get a little bit of a pepper spice on the middle of the mouth that really goes well with the smoked whiskey malts, and really lifts it taste up. On the back of the mouth, I get some nice slightly sweet vanilla flavors. The mouthfeel is full bodied with some richness to it, but not a lot. Raftman has a nice smoky finish that lingers into a nice slightly spiced and smoked aftertaste. This is a really an interesting take on a Belgian Pale Ale, I give Unibroue Raftman A+. I really like the smoked whiskey malts on this beer. They really did it well, it isn’t overdone or strong and it’s easy to drink. I highly recommend trying Unibroue Raftman, so go out and get some of it 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.

  • September 28th Thursday 4 pm- 8:30 pm NoDa Brewing Company. Pink Pint Night kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness month Thursday, Sept. 28 from 4 to 8:30 p.m. at NoDa Brewing Company in North End (2921 N. Tryon St.). This collaboration between NoDa Brewing Company and Charlotte Radiology is free, open to the public and reservations are not required. The kickoff event will feature live music, food trucks, and a special pink brew.
    100% of the proceeds will benefit Carolinas Breast Cancer Fund, a Levine Cancer Institute initiative that increases access to life-saving mammography screenings and follow-up care for uninsured women.
    Raise $150 and become a VIP! VIPs get reserved seating, a food voucher, Pink Pint Night glass, 2 free beer tickets and VIP bar access!
    Click here to become a VIP: http://bit.ly/PinkPintNightVIP Ticket information http://www.charlotteradiology.com
  • September 28th Thursday 3 pm-10 pm Birdsong Brewing Co. Bottle Release Weasels On Woodpeckers! It’s not every day that we release a bottle of barrel-aged yumminess from what we like to call our “Take Flight Series!” Join us on 9/28 for the release of Weasels on Woodpeckers, as this might be our best one yet! Back in 2015 when a photo of a weasel on a woodpecker went viral, we received tweets and emails galore suggesting that we use that to name a beer in our Take Flight Series! It kind of fits the theme… Turtles on Pterodactyls, Squirrels on Geese and Mongeese on Monkeys… you get the idea. We’ve been working on this beer idea for quite some time and we’re finally ready to unveil! Weasels on Woodpeckers is our Belgian Saison aged in white wine barrels with fresh peaches added. The Belgian yeast is complimented with upfront aromas of Chardonnay oakiness and finishes with a slightly tart, slightly sweet peach finish! Kind of tastes like a peach bellini. Who doesn’t like those? We packaged a limited amount of bottles and draft and will release at 3 pm on Thursday, 9/28! 22 oz bottles will be first come, first serve and $10 each. Hope you can join!
  • September 29th Friday 12 pm-10 pm Noda Brewing Company. Bottle Release Sticky When Wet IPA. The beer that so many of you have been asking for since it’s 2016 debut is finally back! Join us for the release of our wet hopped brew: Sticky When Wet. We brewed this beer just ONE day after the hops were harvested… it’s as fresh and sticky as it can possibly get! This wet-hopped beer has an assertive bitterness balanced with bright aromas and flavors of Peach and Grapefruit derive from heavy additions of Citra and Mosaic hops. Sitting at 6.31%, this brew is one you don’t want to miss. TIN Kitchen will join us to serve up delicious grub starting at 5 pm!
  • September 30th Saturday 11 am- 1 pm Wooden Robot Brewery Bottle Release Réserve Series. The exclusive bottle release of our Barrel-Aged Réserve Series: Réserve Dorée & Réserve de Cerises
    Saturday, 9.30.17 @ 11 am Réserve Dorée: Sour Golden Ale Aged In Chardonnay Barrels One of the first beers we ever brewed at Wooden Robot. This sour golden ale was lovingly aged in a French Oak Chardonnay barrel for over 20 months. We selected our favorite barrel and bottled it unblended for a pure expression of fruity yeast, soft oak, and bright wine notes.
    Alc/Vol: 5.8% Réserve de Cerises: Sour Red Ale with Cherries Aged in Red Wine Barrels This sour red ale was aged in red wine barrels for nearly two years, then refermented on over a pound per gallon of tart cherries. Balanced notes of raisin, cherry and red wine fade to a dry, funky finish. Drink fresh to highlight the bright fruit character or age to allow the wild yeast to come to the forefront. Alc/Vol: 6.0% Sales will commence at 11 am on the east side of the brewhouse. $20 (+tax) per 500mL bottle Limit 4 bottles of Réserve de Cerises per person Limit 2 bottles of Réserve Dorée per person In addition to bottle sales, we will be pouring a few special releases. The infamous Strawberry Vanilla Sour and Godless Killing Machine Imperial Stout! H    ang out in our taproom after and grab one of these exclusive releases! 
  • October 5th Thursday 5 pm-7 pm BirdSong Brewing. Solar Event. Red Group is hosting an event at Birdsong Brewery on Thursday, October 5th from 5 pm – 7:30 pm. Come learn how solar can benefit your home or business. Team REDgroup will be on hand for personal discussions as well as a brief presentation regarding solar in NC. Our goals are to provide you with useful information that will help you make an educated decision regarding solar and to enjoy a tasty Birdsong Beer. Please RSVP so we can give Birdsong an idea of how many delicious brews to have ready for us. Contact us with any questions solar@redgroupnc.com OR 877-520-SOLAR. More info: http://bit.ly/2xamvvc

Parkway Brewing Company Get Bent Mountian IPA

Posted on by Evan

IMG_5331

This beer, Parkway Brewing Co., Get Bent Mountian IPA, 7.2% ABV and 67 IBUs from Saleem Virgina which I received from a Brewpublik delivery. This beer uses lots of citrusy hops according to its label.  Get Bent Mountian IPA pours an orange color with an almost two finger white head that fades rather quickly with nothing left behind it, and gives off a grapefruit and orange aroma with plenty of earthy earth, and hoppy notes. Taste is big on the bitter grapefruit with a big bitter hop note with some earthiness and piney notes and has a bitter finish with touches of bitter orange and a lingering of a bitterness with some pine and earthy notes and a somewhat of a full mouthfeel. This beer was more on the bitter side and that was a bit much for me so I give Parkway Brewing Co., Get Bent Mountian IPA a D+. It was a beer that I could finish but not one that I like nor would go back to it again. Too much bitterness and not enough citrus flavors. I think Parkway Brewing Co. needs to turn down the bitterness on this beer for it to be somewhat good. But I don’t think you should try this IPA. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly! 

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

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

  • September 16th Saturday 21 pm-8 pm Blue Blaze Brewing is having Oktoberfest. The brewery will have traditional German-Style beers and JJ’s Red Hots will be crafting a limited edition brat using Alpine Weisse Oktoberfest Ale. This brat will then be sold at their restaurants between September 16th through October 3rd. More information On Blue Blaze Brewing’s Facebook page.
  • September 16th Saturday 12 pm-10 PM NoDa Brewing Company Oktoberfest. Celebrating Germany’s Oktoberfest with the release of our very own fall brew! Our Oktoberfest is brewed with Epiphany Malting’s Oktoberfest and Munich Malts, making a clean, crisp, and (you guessed it) malty brew that you’ll love! Not only will you be able to sip on this draft brew in the tap room, but you’ll also be able to purchase a custom stein to take home, worthy of all your Oktoberfest celebrations! Plus, TIN Kitchen will be serving up a special Bratwurst (and all of their regular tasty dishes). This is one celebration you don’t want to miss.
  • September 16th Saturday 12 pm-10 pm Sycamore Brewing Pumpkin Fest 2017 Join us September 16th for a Celebration of Fall & Pumpkin Beers! Featuring an amazing tap list of Seasonal Fall Beers including – ‘Gourd Have Mercy!’ Awesome Giveaways for the first 100 guests!!!
    Live Music on 2 Stages, Outdoor Pouring Stations, 4 Food Trucks, Very Good Times!!
    Bands:
    Of Good Nature
    PMA Positive Mental Attitude
    Late Night Special
    Colby Deitz Band
    Below the Belt
    And more!
  • September 22nd-24th Olde Mecklenburg Brewery Mecktoberfest Mecktoberfest, OMB’s fall “Über-seasonal” brew, releases Monday, August 28th at OMB. More info about that event is here:https://www.facebook.com/events/119537582012904
    This event is for our Mecktoberfest celebration…It’s beer-drinking season at OMB! Seasonal favorite Mecktoberfest will be on tap along with your year-round essentials: Copper, Capt Jack, Southside & Hornet’s Nest. Mecktoberfest is one of our largest events of the year and full of the sounds of Bavaria! The German bands are high-energy with audience dancing and sing-along participation encouraged. Friday:
    3-6pm – Mountain Top Polka (German band)
    7-10pm – Holzhackern Tyrolean Band (German band)
    Saturday:
    11a-6p – Local acts
    7-10pm – Holzhackern Tyrolean Band (German band)
    Sunday:
    11a-2p – Mountain Top Polka (German band)
    3-6pm – Holzhackern Tyrolean Band (German band)
    More food menu details are on the way. Expect classics like Schnitzel, Spätzle, & Knockwurst.
    You don’t want to miss this authentic Oktoberfest experience. Prost!
    This is a free event. Under 21 welcome. Dogs welcome outside.
  • September 23rd Saturday Sugar Creek Brewing Company 11 am Fall Fest 2017. Fall is finally here, and we’re celebrating with an all-day party at Sugar Creek Brewing’s Fall Fest 2017! This event itself is FREE and will offer fun for the whole family (dogs included). The event kicks off with “Fall Into Desserts,” a dessert festival hosted by Love Desserts CLT in our Sugar Creek warehouse from 12-6 PM. Experience 20 local bakeries and dessert shops under one roof! Admission to the desert festival is $10 which includes entry into the event, complimentary non-alcoholic drink (Apple Pie Punch or Cranberry Harvest Punch), and candy. Tickets can be purchased here:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/love-desserts-fall-into-dessert-tickets-37427224837 While that’s going on, we’ll also have live music, a pig roast, games for kids, and plenty of local vendors to shop from, including:
    Glory Days Apparel
    Johnny Fly
    Southern Fragrances Candle Co
    WildlyUrban
    Charlotte Mobile Makery
    CLT Find
    Purple Girl Designs by Amber
    Pet Wants Charlotte: The Urban Feed Store
    Tabletop Campfires
    Pink Daisy Co.
    Thank You Mother Earth
    Bajari
    And more!
  • September 28th Thursday 4 pm- 8:30 pm NoDa Brewing Company. Pink Pint Night kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness month Thursday, Sept. 28 from 4 to 8:30 p.m. at NoDa Brewing Company in North End (2921 N. Tryon St.). This collaboration between NoDa Brewing Company and Charlotte Radiology is free, open to the public and reservations are not required. The kickoff event will feature live music, food trucks, and a special pink brew.
    100% of the proceeds will benefit Carolinas Breast Cancer Fund, a Levine Cancer Institute initiative that increases access to life-saving mammography screenings and follow-up care for uninsured women.
    Raise $150 and become a VIP! VIPs get reserved seating, a food voucher, Pink Pint Night glass, 2 free beer tickets and VIP bar access!
    Click here to become a VIP: http://bit.ly/PinkPintNightVIP Ticket information http://www.charlotteradiology.com

Wicked Weed Brewing Old Fashioned Barrel-Age Ale

Posted on by Evan

IMG_5326

This Old Fashioned Barrel-Aged Ale 10.0% ABV from Wicked Weed Brewing in Asheville North Carolina is their take on the classic cocktail The Old Fashioned. This beer is brewed with oranges and cherries and is aged in bourbon barrels with Montmorency and black cherries and finished off with orange zest. What is Montmorency, well that is a type of cherry from Canada, France, and United States.  Old Fashioned Barrel-Aged Ale pours a thick black color with a one finger beige head that gives off slight cherry, lots of alcoholic notes with faint orange. There are a few vanilla notes on the nose but it slightly is hidden behind the big alcoholic boozy aroma, it all smells strong which leads into the taste with big boozy flavors up front with a bit of cherry and slight orange in the middle with more alcohol on the end and touches of toffee. Old Fashioned Barrel-Aged Ale tastes more like a strong Quad than an Old Fashioned cocktail, and not a good one at that. The finish is too strong with alcohol and not enough of the cherry and/or orange and has a boozy aftertaste with some alcohol burn that lingers just for a bit with a full mouthfeel. Wicked Weed Brewing Old Fashioned Barrel-Aged Ale is not for me and I give it a D-. Too strong and too harsh and it wasn’t like the cocktail it is named after. I don’t recommend this at all and I will not drink this again, Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!