Best Beer Blog

Legion Brewing Penguin Pils American Lager

Posted on December 12, 2020 by Evan

Yes, the Pilsner the quintessential American Beer but may have had foreign roots but has become as American as apple pie and loved by many. Legion Brewing Penguin Pils American Lager, 4.5% ABV brewing here locally in Charlotte, North Carolina with American Saaz hops. This Pilsner beer pours a clear and clean golden color with a two and a quarter white finger head that fades steadily but not too slow. It has a mild floral aroma that is crispy with bread notes. This Penguin Pils has a clean and crisp flavor with bread notes and a very faint bittersweetness with a light mouthfeel. The beer then finishes clean with crisp biscuit notes and has a clean and crisp aftertaste that does linger for just a moment or two before fading out. Legion Brewing Penguin Pils American Lager is good and well-deserving of an A. It has good Pilsner flavors that are refreshing. I do recommend Legion Brewing Penguin Pils American Lager. It’s perfect for any occasion without the high alcohol content. You should try it! Please stay safe and enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Lenny Boy Brewing Co. Ground Up Coffee Milk Stout.

Posted on December 10, 2020December 10, 2020 by Evan

This beer brewed in Charlotte, North Carolina Counter Culture Coffee from Durham North Carolina, Lenny Boy Brewing Co. Ground Up Coffee Milk Stout, 5.3% ABV. This stout pours a deep black color with a thin one finger beige head that quickly scatters. The aroma is roasted and malty with some slight sweet chocolate, toffee, and bits of caramel. Ground Up has a similar flavor as the aroma. There are roasted flavors with faint but sweet chocolate, caramel, and light toffee with a little bit of creaminess. Then this coffee Milk Stout finishes thin with a lingering aftertaste of what’s left of the initial flavors, and the mouthfeel is medium. All the flavors are not as strong feeling at best but not very bad. Overall, Lenny Boy Brewing Co. Ground Up Coffee Milk Stout is not the worst beer I’ve had when it comes to coffee Milk Stout, and I give it a C+. It needs to be bolder in flavor with a creamier texture and flavor, but it is only 5.3% ABV and could be higher to help the flavors. But like I said, this is not the worst I’ve had. Please stay safe and enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Throwback Thursday: Southern Tier Brewing Company Blackwater Series Crème Brûlée Imperial Milk Stout

Posted on December 10, 2020 by Evan

Originally posted on August 25th 2013

Beer comes in an array of styles, from very light to very dark. There are hundreds of different beer styles, One style is milk style, no it isn’t brewed with milk, but it is brewed from the lactose sugars that are found in milk. This type of sugar makes a mile sweet. This beer here is Southern Tiers Blackwater Series Crème Brûlée Imperial Milk stout, 9.5% ABV. Imperial just mean a bigger ABV. Southern Tier also uses vanilla beans, Columbus, and horizon hop, Crème Brûlée pours a dark and opaque black with a tan khaki two finger head that fades super slow and leaves great tight tan lacing behind. You can’t see any light coming through the glass and I could barely see any carbonation bubbles. The aroma of Crème Brûlée is big, strong, sweet caramelized sugar with some vanilla. The aroma is strong on this beer. The taste is at first sweet with a sugar-like sweetness and some vanilla. There is a faint coffee flavor not there as well with a very faint cocoa note. Then you get warming slightly bitter alcohol booziness on the back. The mouthfeel is full and rich; this really coats your tongue. The finish on this is a little coffee bitterness with a hint of vanilla. The aftertaste really stays a while with less bitterness and a little more sugar and vanilla sweetness that is a little sticky. This is a big complex beer. So I this is A- from me. Crème Brûlée is a good sweet beer that is well brewed with a lot going on. I do think if you like stouts and/or sweet beers, then you should try this one. It is good and really does remind me of a good Crème Brûlée. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

The Beer News

Posted on December 9, 2020 by Evan

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

Wednesday, December 9th, Small Batch Release: Bourbon Oaked Vanilla Nutmeg on Nitro. Red Clay Ciderworks. 2 pm-10pm. Red Clay Ciderworks.

Get your Moose Mugs ready, because our special eggnog-inspired small batch is back! Cousin Eddie’s Moose on the Loose is a bourbon oaked semi-sweet with nutmeg and vanilla served on NITRO for that silky mouthfeel!Limited batch, served on draft in our tap room only. Sorry, no growler/crowler fills.

Thursday December 10th. Weekly Can Release. Resident Culture Brewing Company. 11 am-9 pm.

Friday, December 11th. Monstro Russian Imperial Stout Release! NoDa Brewing Company. 12 pm-10 pm.

Neptune said to the sea there should be a terrible Monstro, born from its deepest depths. It should be stout with the strength of a whale.This is that beer… A Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial stout, fortified with molasses and accented with cocoa nibs. Enjoy the deep.It’s finally that time. Join us on Friday, December 11th, as we release this deliciously deep Russian Imperial Stout. Monstro will be available in cans and on draft exclusively at our NorthEnd taproom.

Triple C Brewing Company Butterfly Smiles Pale Ale

Posted on December 7, 2020 by Evan

Triple C Brewing Company Butterfly Smiles Pale Ale, 5% ABV brewed here in Charlotte, North Carolina is a collaboration with INREACH, which is a non-profit that helps mentally challenged people. Butterfly Smiles are made with New Zealand and American hops. Butterfly Smiles pours a deep golden color with a three and a quarter finger white slow head. The aroma is hoppy, piney, with grapefruit, lemon, and some lime. So I am thinking Citra hops used in this beer. Taste is similar to the way it smells. You get nice hoppy notes with taste citrus fruits, lemon, orange, grapefruit, and some lime with piney notes too with a crisp mouthfeel. Butterfly Smiles finishes with a piney citrus flavor and has a lingering bitter stone fruit aftertaste. Butterfly Smiles is a wonderfully delicious Pale Ale. I think Triple C Brewing company Butterfly Smiles Pale Ale is an A-. The pine notes on this do clash ever so slightly with the citrus fruit flavor, but it’s good otherwise, and all the other flavors are good too. I highly recommended Butterfly Smiles. Please stay safe and enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Throwback Thursday: Trader Joe’s Providential Belgian-Style Golden Ale by Unibroue

Posted on December 3, 2020December 3, 2020 by Evan

Originally posted November 2nd, 2015.

I have seen beer collaborations between two breweries and even between a grocery store and a brewer, but this is a collaboration between Trader Joe’s and Unibroue of Chambly, Québec Canada. The beer is Providential Belgian-Style Golden Ale, 7.5% ABV. This beer pours a nice bright golden color with a bright white four-finger head. The aroma is bright and yeasted with a faint banana and clove scent. The taste of this Unibroue is a bit sweet at first with a little spice and a nice light banana flavor. I found this to have champagne-like effervescence that helps to bring out flavor like the malty mildly sweet. I also found a little bit of ginger and orange peel on the flavor profile. The mouthfeel is medium and has a nice light spicy finish with a touch of hops. The after taste is subtly spicy with a hit of ginger and banana. Overall this is one great beer. I give this A+. I cannot find anything wrong with this beer. I highly recommend that you try Trader Joes Providential Belgian-Style Golden Ale by Unibroue. Cheers! Please Enjoy Responsibly!

The Beer News

Posted on December 2, 2020 by Evan

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

Thursday, December 3rd. Griffith St. – DDH Hazy Pale. Triple C Brewing Company. 4 pm-10 pm.

This New England style hazy pale ale is double dry hopped with Strata, Citra, Nelson Sauvin, and HBC 586. A citrus bomb of aromas including ripened pineapple slices and zested oranges. Smooth bitterness with a dry finish help the juicy fruit and citrus flavors come through.5.4%
Draft and Crowlers

Weekly Can Release. Resident Culture Brewing Company. 11 am-9 pm.

Check in here for weekly updates on our can & bottle releases every Thursday. Releases go live on Shop.residentculturebrewing.com at 11AM, pick up in the Taproom or Drive Thru starts at 3PM that Thursday. Orders placed on Thursday are available to pick up through that Sunday at 6PM and we will have a limited amount on tap for your enjoyment in the Taproom. ***Brand availability and limits are subject to change***11/19
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//BEERS//OVER CONE Hazy IPA // 7 % ABV // Whole Cone Hop version of our Over Soul Hazy IPA with Strata hops & packed with a Citra bang. It’s drinking super soft and full of juicy citrus
NO LIMIT, $17.99 + tax per 4-packLAELAPS // Hazy IPA // 6.3% ABV // Bringing back one of our favorites to share again with you. Hopped with Citra, Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin, and Mosaic. Tropical fruit dankness with bursts of oranges and peaches. Juice casually dripping down your face without you realizing – or giving a flying FFFFFFFFF.
NO LIMIT, $17.99 + tax per 4-packRADICAL EMPATHY – German-Style Pilsner // 4.8% ABV // Hopped with Hallertau Mittelfrüh, Hallertau Blanc – All sourced directly from Seitz Farm in the Hallertau region of Germany. Krausened with all that tiny bubble goodness flitting on the tongue with whisps of fresh lemongrass and newly-mown hay.
NO LIMITS, $12.99 + tax per 4-pack11/25 ** NOTE THIS IS A WEDNESDAY RELEASE FOR THE HOLIDAY, CLOSED THANKSGIVING
FIRE WALK WITH ME – 100% Galaxy Hopped Double IPA
FOREVER ALONE: MOSAIC – 100% Mosaic Hopped IPA12/3 – COLLAB W/ The Batchmaker
OATMEAL CREAM PIE PORTER – Collab w/ The Batchmaker
THIS IS JUST A TEST
NO LIGHT WITHOUT THE DARK
UPCOMING BEERS TBC
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VIBE CHECK – New Peach Sour
ACCUSTOMED TO EXCESS – Mixed Culture Pastry Berliner with Mixed Berries, Cinnamon, and Vanilla
FREE SKATE
RIDING FOR THE FEELING – New Italian Pils
DEFINE SUCCESS – Collab w/ Green Cheek Beer Co. – Costa Mesa– Imperial Stout aged on Amburana Wood and Vanilla.

Friday, December 4th. Birdsong ( Year Anniversary Weekend! Birdsong Brewing Co. 12/4 10 am-12/6 8 pm.

We’re turning 9 (WOW) and we hope you’ll save the date to celebrate with us! We expect no shortage of awesome people, good vibes, and DELICIOUS beer! Mark yourself as interested or going to this event and you’ll get all of the updates on beer releases, food trucks, music, and other fun stuff! UPDATE: 10/16/20: You may have noticed that our event cover photo has changed! We have decided to spread our anniversary out over 3 fabulous days so we can maximize social distancing and safety for our staff and guests! Please stay tuned for details on a beer release schedule, music, food trucks, and more! Cheers, we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate 9 years with all of you!*Due to our current climate we will post updates regarding party times/dates, social distancing plans, and tap room/outdoor capacity. Please stay tuned!

Friday, December 4th. Providence Plantaion Neighborhood Delivery. 5 pm-6 pm.

We’re coming to the Providence Plantation Neighborhood this Thursday, December 4!Place orders by Dec. 4 before 2:30 PM and delivery is between 5-6 PM.Pick up location – 3100 Houston Branch RoadVisit https://pilotbrewing.square.site, select the “Providence Plantation pick up” button to add to your cart. Once order is complete, choose the pick up option to continue to payment
(disregard the given pick up time, we’ll be there between 5-6 pm)

Friday, December 4th, “Rakefire” BBA Imperial Stout Bottle Release. Town Brewing. 2 pm. “Rakefire” is an 11.1% Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout. After a long slumber in bourbon barrels, Rakefire has finally awoken! Dark, decadent, and intense, this imperial stout boasts notes of bittersweet chocolate, caramel, and espresso, enhanced by subtle flavors of vanilla, bourbon, and coconut imparted by the oak. $11.99 each- 500ml bottles. We will also be releasing a “Rakefire” variant which will include Cinnamon, Chocolate, Vanilla, and Chile Pepper (Mole). $13.99 each- 500ml bottles. Available starting Friday December 4th starting at 2pm.

Coop Ale Works Horny Toad Blonde

Posted on November 28, 2020 by Evan

Over Thanksgiving, my Aunt brought Coop Ale Works Honey Toad Blonde, 5.3% ABV from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This beer, brewed with Noble Hops, Two-row, and Pilsner malt. Horny Toad pours an orange color with a thin one and a quarter white head that quickly recedes into itself. The aroma is nice, clean, and crisp with a sweet fruity note and a light bitterness. It smells more sugary than you think it would. Taste is crisp, slightly bitter, and sweet with a fruity like flavor with a refreshing mouthfeel and finishes with a bittersweet flavor. There is less bitterness in the aftertaste and more sweet notes there. Coop Ale Works Horny Toad Blonde is a good beer, but it’s sweet than some blonde ales I’ve had, and I give it a B-. The sweet notes of this beer weren’t terrible. I found those sweet notes to be slightly overpowering to the other flavors as the little number of bitter notes. It is a good beer that is worth trying. I would be glad to have it again. Please stay safe and enjoy responsibly. Cheers!

The Unknown Brewing O.T.E I.P.A (Over The Edge India Pale Ale)

Posted on November 21, 2020 by Evan

The Unknown Brewing O.T.E. I.P.A. (Over The Edge India Pale Ale), 6.4% is a west-coast style IPA, thats brewed with five grains and west coast hops. Over The Edge, IPA is brewed here locally in Charlotte, North Carolina. This IPA pours a deeper yellow-orange color with a two and a half finger white head. The head is steady to fade away. Over The Edge, IPA has a citrusy hoppy aroma with a light sweetness. Taste is citrusy with light sweetness and happiness with a faint pine note come on the back of the mouth that then comes to a nice bitter fruity finish with a malted note. The mouthfeel is medium, and the aftertaste is just the finish that lingers. Overall The Unknown Brewing O.T.E. I.P.A. (Over The Edge India Pale Ale) solid IPA without being too wild with ingredients and flavors. Over The Edge is how you brew a traditional west-coast style IPA should be and I give it an A+. It is solidly brewed and tastes good. So I suggest you try The Unknown Brewing O.T.E. I.P.A. (Over The Edge India Pale Ale). Please stay safe and enjoy responsibly. Cheers!

Throwback Thursday: 21st Amendment Brewing Marooned on Hog Island

Posted on November 19, 2020November 19, 2020 by Evan

Stouts come in many sub-styles with their flavor and taste, like imperial stouts, Belgian stouts, English, American, dry, oyster, and fruit stouts. They are all dark beer and have some similar qualities. 21st Amendment Brewing in San Francisco brews Marooned on Hog Island, 7.9% ABV and brewed with Hog Island Oyster shells. Oyster Stouts are a drier type of stout but aren’t the dry type of beer. Marooned on Hog Island pours a black/deep brown color with a three-finger beige head that leaves behind nice decent lacing. The aroma roasted with cocoa, bits of chocolate, and the faintest/tiniest saline note. Taste is similar to the aroma with a semi sweetness that comes in and then goes in an instant. There not many saline flavors to it. But it does shine through at the end as this beer warms. I also found the roasted note to be a bit fainter than you on the aroma. The mouthfeel of this beer is full. Marooned on Hog Island does finish with a saline-like note that fades and then the after taste of roasted cocoa/chocolate that does not stay. Marooned on Hog Island is a good beer, but I would like to have more from the added oyster shells. I give this Stout a B-. Not too bad, but not really what I was hoping it to be. It is off by just a little. 21st Amendment is a great brewery. They make a great summer beer, Hell or High Watermelon, and they’re no longer in production Beer Bitter American was fabulous, so I know they can brew great beer Marooned on Hog Island was close, but not close enough. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!