Throwback Thursday: Great Lakes Brewing Dortmunder Gold

Posted on by Evan

I really enjoy finding, searching, and hunting new beer to try. So a few weeks ago my father found a website BrewPublik (www.BrewPublik.com) that hand delivers beer that they have chosen for you based on what your go to beer is. They are local in Charlotte, NC and deliver your beer in a handmade wooden crate with their company logo branded on the side with a folder of tasting notes and information on each beer. One of the beers that I received is Great Lakes Dortmounder Gold, 5.8% ABV. Great Lakes Brewing is in Cleveland Ohio. This style is named after the town in Germany where the style originates. Dortmunder Gold is brewed in accordance with the Bavarian Purity Low of 1516. This law simply states that beer must be brewed with barley, hops, yeast, and water. Which this beer is and meets that law. Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold has won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival. But I couldn’t find when it won. Dortmunder Gold pours a nice bright orange/copper color with a two finger white head that sticks around long enough to notice its there before fading into very thin lacing. I found decent amounts of light streaming through the glass with nice carbonation bubbles racing up towards the white head. The aroma is similar is to a lager and a pilsner. It’s a slight mix of the two I think. The taste at first is crisp then becomes a tiny bit malty and towards the end, there is a bit of bitter flavor that isn’t so ‘in your face’. I found the bitter flavor to be a bit light. The mouthfeel is light to somewhat medium. Dortmunder Gold finishes with a little crisp bitterness but less bitter than before. I thought Dortmunder Gold was going to taste different from the way it actually did. Dortmunder Gold is a B. The small amount of bitterness towards the end was not what I was expecting and really brought down the overall flavor a bit. But Dortmunder Gold isn’t a bad beer; it was somewhat enjoyable, just not as I hoping it would be. Yes, I see how it won its gold medal and I understand it too. I probably wouldn’t have Dortmunder Gold right away but I might down the road. So go out and try Great Lake Brewing Co. Dortmunder Gold and see what you think. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

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

  • Wednesday, June 6th. Sierra Nevada Keg Bowling. VBGB Beer Hall & Garden. 6 pm-8 pm. VBGB is excited to be hosting your new favorite sport: KEG BOWLING.
    Join us on Wednesday, June 6th from 6-8pm, where Sierra Nevada Brewery will be teaching you everything you need to know to become a Keg Bowling champion. Just by signing up, you’ll have the chance to win 2 tickets to Sierra Nevada’s fan favorite Beer Camp at their Mills River Brewery location. This event is FREE to attend — 21+ only!
    BEER CAMP, June 16th, 2018:
    “Guests can expect an epic adult day camp, complete with dozens of games, a high-ropes obstacle course, human foosball, keg bowling, Hammer-Schlagen, a silent disco, crafts, hammocks, and of course, plenty of Sierra Nevada beer. Zach Deputy will headline the festival with opening act The Broadcast. The silent disco DJ lineup will be local favorites DJ Marley Carroll and DJ Push/Pull.
    Attendees can purchase full-sized pours of their favorite Sierra Nevada beers, cans of Pale Ale, and six festival-exclusive collaboration beers created by Sierra Nevada’s employees just for Beer Camp. Local food trucks and the Sierra Nevada Taproom will also offer food for purchase. Complimentary Shuttles from Asheville and Hendersonville will be provided.”
  • Wednesday, June 6th. Belgian Strong Pale Ale Pilot Batch Release. Triple C Brewing Co. 4 pm-9 pm. Clocking in at 8.5%, this strong Belgian Pale was brewed with Monastery yeast, noble hops, and candied sugar.
    Bleu Barn Bistro has dinner covered. 
  • Thursday, June 7th. Brewsin’ with Birdsong + First Thursday. Carolina Beer Temple Matthews. 6 pm-11 pm. On Thursday, June 7th the Carolina Beer Temple will be Brewsin’ with Birdsong Brewing Co. – a fun event featuring rare and seasonal Birdsong drafts!!! PLUS it is FIRST THURSDAY! This month’s non-profit is S.A.F.E. Animal Haven. $1 from each Birdsong pint and flight sold all day will be donated to SAFE.
    The tap list will feature four (4) out of the ordinary Birdsong beers: Sunshine Gose, Weasel on Woodpeckers barrel-aged Belgian Ale, OPP Pineapple Pale Ale, and Rewind Lager.
    S.A.F.E. Animal Haven’s goal is to decrease the endless stream of dogs and cats pouring into animal care facilities by providing educational school programs and promoting the spaying/neutering of companion animals.
    Come out on Thursday, June 7th to drink some great beer and to support a great cause!
  • Thursday, June 7th. Vienna Lager Release + First Book Fundraiser. Catawba Brewing Co. Charlotte. 3 pm-10 pm. Join us for an amazing beer release and fundraiser this Thursday! Catawba has partnered with First Book-Charlotte to help raise funds for supplying low-income families with books! $1 from each pint of our Vienna Lager sold will be donated to this wonderful organization, so swing by for a pint or two and learn more about this great non-profit!
    First Book-Charlotte is part of the national, all-volunteer nonprofit network of local advisory boards whose sole mission is to help children from low-income families read and own their own books.
  • Friday, June 8th. Coffee on Corban Beer Release. Twenty-Six Acres Brewing Company Concord. 2 pm-10 pm. Join us this Food Truck Friday for the release of our Coffee on Corban! Our new coffee blonde! We collaborated with Farmers First Coffee for this release. They have multiple coffee beans of various roasts to offer and we chose a mildly-roasted Emiliano’s coffee. Emiliano is a small, family farmer from the Amazonas region of Peru. I felt like his beans were the best to pair with our lightly flavored Corban Avenue Honey Blonde. The coffee isn’t heavy or bold enough to detract from the flavor of the beer. You could easily drink this beer with dinner, lunch, or breakfast. Dragon Boat Charlotte, Sugar Daddy’s, The Big Woodie, and The Sweetest Thing Bake Shop will be in the beer garden!
    Want to learn more about Farmers First Coffee Company and Emiliano, visit them on facebook!
    https://www.facebook.com/farmersfirstcoffeeco
    https://www.farmersfirstcoffee.com/pages/emiliano     
  • Friday, June 8th. High Branch Can Release – #smooth Hazy IPA. High Branch Brewing Co. Concord. 4 pm-10 pm. Releasing #smooth cans this Friday at 4! Motueka, Ella, and Vic Secret hop in this Hazy IPA. We get lingering tropical fruits, a spicy edge, and floral hop character. Used a lot of oats for a silky mouthfeel.
    Price:
    Limit: 
  • Saturday, June 9th. Asheville Brew Crawl – Summer 2018. Piedmont Social House. 10 am-11 pm. Details ASHEVILLE BREW CRAWL SUMMER 2018. Summer is so close and so is our summer brew crawl
    TICKETS:
    $50 – Until – May 19th
    $55 – May 20th – June 2nd
    $60 – June 3rd – June 9th at 8AM
    LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE 
    No need to worry designated driver!!!
    Price includes:
    Transportation
    Brunch (breakfast sandwiches) AND Dinner
    Ticket holders are responsible for their own brew purchases.
    This year’s Stops:
    Lookout Brewing Company
    New Belgium Brewing Company
    Wedge Brewing Company
    Archetype Brewing
    Green Man/Funkatorium/Wicked Weed
  •  
  • Saturday. June 9th. Beer Geek Tap Takeover. Carolina Beer Temple Ayrsley. 12 pm-11:59 pm. Release your inner beer geek, Saturday June 9th, as we feature several rare & hard to find beers from across the US including:
    – Burial Beer Co. * A Completely Different Nature * DIPA
    – Castia Cerveceria * Coffee Talk * Nitro Milk Stout
    – Main Brewing Company * Peeper * Pale Ale
    – Mikkeller Brewing San Diego * Mr. Smith * Hazy Pale Ale
    – The Bruery * Terreux-Frederick * Sour
    – Grimm Artisanal Ales * Air & Light * Dry Hopped Sour
    – Logsdon Farmhouse Ales, LLC. * Table Bretta* Saison
    Discounted pints & flights will be available all day long. See you at the Temple! 
  • Sunday, June 10th. Brunch and Brews. Legion Brewing. 10 am-2 pm. join us every Sunday from 10AM-2PM for Brunch and Brews! Whether you are nursing a hangover from a few too many late night pints or trying to get your Sunday Funday on, we have a little something for everyone!
    Southwest Breakfast Burrito
    Chorizo, egg, cheddar, homemade salsa, jalapeno, and avocado. Enjoy it in a spinach wrap OR on a bed of smoked cheddar grits!
    Lox and Loaded*
    Smoked salmon, cucumber, onion, fresh dill and cream cheese on a Nova*s bagel.
    Breakfast Sliders (3)
    Bacon, egg, cheddar, tomato and black pepper aioli on soft slider buns.
    Mixed Berry Parfait
    Greek yogurt, mixed berries, homemade honey almond granola.
    Seasonal Belgian Waffle
    Flavors change with our seasonal beer line up- check our social media for updates!
    Side Of Smoked Cheese Grits
    With a side of Warm Baked Apples 
  • Sunday, June 10th. Hoppin’ the Rail. Divine Barrel Brewing. 1 pm. Join Torah on Tap as we brewery hops through Charlotte! We will begin at Divine Barrel Brewing in Noda and use the light rail to move on from there. Can’t meet us at 1? No worries! We’ll be updating our location via this event page as we go.
  • Tuesday, June 12th. NoDable Release: Lyft Me Up (Bier de Garde). Noda Brewin Company. 4 pm-9 pm. Every single week, we release a brand new “NoDable” beer on Tuesday! This week’s new NoDable is a Bier de Garde
    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! 
  • Tuesday, June 12th. Pint Night with Hi-Wire Brewing. The Causal Pint Rivergate. 6 pm. Hi-Wire Brewing is joining us June 12th to deliver some beers you won’t want to miss tasting. It will be both fun and delicious! 

Central State Brewing Oatsplosion India Pale Ale

Posted on by Evan

Central State Brewing Oatsplosion India Pale Ale , 6.5% ABV I picked up from Pop the Top Craft Beer Shop here in Charlotte, NC. This is an IPA brewed with oats and is the first oat IPA I’ve ever had. I don’t see many oat IPA out there but there are a few like on Oatsmobile from Bells Brewery, which I’ve not yet had. Oatsplosion pours a bight yellow color that is similar to a Pilsner with a three and a half finger white slow head that leave behind decent lacing giving off a sweet citrusy aroma with a bit a juicy note that take you into a smooth sweet fruity juicy flavor of citrus fruits, orange, and grapefruit with a mild hoppy not on the end with a smooth finish with touches of hoppy fruit sweetness and a smooth semi-sweet mild hop aftertaste with a smooth light mouthfeel. Overall Central State Brewing Oatsplosion is a great IPA with a nice smooth light sweetness with the right amount of Citra hop flavors to really make it good and deservingly an A+. I highly recommend Central State Brewing Oatsplosion India Pale Ale and will have this again.

Stillwater Artisanal Levadura Oaxacan-Style Gose

Posted on by Evan

Stillwater Artisanal Levandura Oaxacan-Style Gose, 4.6% I picked up from Pop the Top Craft Beer Shop here in Charlotte. Stillwater Artisanal from Baltimore Maryland and Brooklyn New York, a gypsy brewer (doesn’t have their own physical brewery) and started and owned by a former DJ/Producer brews Levandura, which is Spanish for yeast, with salt, agave, & lime. Levandura pours a bright yellow color with a thin three finger head that fades steadily into little strips of bubbly lacing giving off sweet and sour aromas with a mild saltiness that’s reminiscent for faint margaritas that takes you to flavor of sour notes up front with bits of a tartness in the middle and a salty-sweet notes coming in on the end with a nice tart and sour finish that is a faintly salted and gives you a light tart aftertaste with touches of mild sour notes with a light mouthfeel. Stillwater Artisanal Levandura Oaxacan-Style Gose is a refreshingly tasty beer that is an A+ and one that I highly recommend and will be going back for more. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Trophy Brewing Company Trophy Husband

Posted on by Evan

Picked up Trophy Brewing Company Trophy Husband Saison, 5.4% ABV from Pop the Top Craft Beer Shop here in Charlotte. If you haven’t been in Pop the Top then you needed to go, it is awesome with awesome staff. Trophy Brewing brews Trophy Husband in Raleigh, North Carolina which pours a yellow color that appears a bit hazy with a big two finger head that falls into some decent streaks of fluffy lacing throughout the class giving you some rustic aromas of light yeast, peppercorns and a faint hop note that lead into a rustic flavor of a semi-sweet yeasted notes with a touch of a hoppy element with some light peppercorns and dry fruitiness that finish dry with a little light hop sweetness and an aftertaste of dry fruit with a bit of the yeast flavor with a light to somewhat medium mouthfeel. Trophy Brewing Company Trophy Husband Saison is a great Saison that gets an A here. It’s one Saison that is more on the lighter side with a great easy flavor that I think any novice or newbie beer/craft beer drinker would surely enough, and Trophy Brewing Company Trophy Husband Saison is one I really recommend trying. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Throwback Thursday: Catawba Brewing Co. Peanut Butter Jelly Time

Posted on by Evan

Originally Posted March 22nd, 2015.

I love brown ales but I also like interesting beers as well. So some told me about a peanut raspberry beer I was intrigued. So I looked up what is and who brewed it and I found it was Catawba Brewing Company Peanut Butter Jelly Time, 5.7% ABV. Catawba Brewing Company in Asheville, N.C. and Morganton, N.C. This is a light brown ale and is brewed with five different grains and then aged for weeks on raspberries and roasted peanuts. Peanut Butter Jelly Time pours a murky light brown color with a two finger slightly off-white head. I found no light coming through and very little carbonation. The aroma on Peanut Butter Jelly Time is exactly like its name. It smells just like a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich. You get the roasted peanuts with a peanut butter scent and a raspberry/raspberry jelly aroma. The taste is Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich! There is nice taste of peanuts/peanut butter and raspberries/ raspberry jelly. I also found there to be a bread crust taste that is from the grains and the roasted peanuts. The mouthfeel is medium with a rich PPB&J finish and the aftertaste is just the same as the finish with a little bit of lingering peanut butter. This is truth in advertising. It is just like the name on the can Peanut Butter Jelly Time. Catawba Brewing Co. really hit the nail on the head with this ale. I give this an A+. I like this beer but I don’t think I could drink more than one. The flavor would get a bit intense as you get to the second Peanut Butter Jelly Time. That doesn’t take away a thing from this beer in my opinion. This is a truly good interesting and yet tasty beer. So please go out and try Catawba Brewing Co. Peanut Butter Jelly Time I recommend that you do! Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

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

  • Wednesday, May 30th. Pilot Batch Release – Orange Beersicle. Triple C Brewing Company. 4 pm-9 pm. Be sure to check out this Blonde Ale with Orange, Vanilla, and Lactose!! Bleu Barn Bistro has dinner covered!!
  •  Wednesday, May 30th. Waggle For Your Beer: Dog Walk at NoDa Brewing. NoDa Brewing Company. 6 pm-7 pm. Calling all dog owners: get your pup’s energy out with “Waggle For Your Beer,” a dog walk (or run, if you prefer!) hosted at NoDa Brewing Company at 6 PM on the fifth Wednesday of the month in May, August, and October!
    Get your tails moving with this free 1.5 mile guided, group dog walk through North End, starting and ending at NoDa Brewing Company‘s location on Tryon St. Or if you’d prefer, you can join the NoDa Run Club when they head out at 6:30 PM for a 1, 3, or 5 mile run.
    Pups are welcome to hang out on the large patio and lawn after the walk, where there will be water bowls to keep them hydrated. Dog parents can cool down with a beer and grab some grub from the TIN Kitchen food truck.
    Waggle For Your Beer is hosted by Work For Your Beer (Charlotte’s ultimate guide to beer fitness) and The Waggle Company (an on-demand dog walking service offering free same-day scheduling, GPS tracking, and pet photos for every visit).
    Be sure to post photos of your pup before, during, and/or after the walk with the hashtag #WaggleForYourBeer for the chance to be featured in our social media posts about next month’s walk!
    Can’t make it the third Wednesday of the month? Don’t worry, there’s a Waggle For Your Beer guided group dog walk at a different brewery each Wednesday of the month! You can find them all here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/workforyourbeer/events/
    We hope to see you and your dog(s) there!
  • Thursday, May 31st. Sepulture Cervisiam – A Burial Beer Event. Carolina Beer Temple Matthews. 6 pm-11 pm. On Thursday, May 31st join the Carolina Beer Temple for our first-ever Sepulture Cervisiam – A Burial Beer Co. Event. (Yeah, we even broke out the Latin for this event!) We’ll be offering flights and discounted Burial drafts all day. The tap list will include:
    – Skillet Donut Stout
    – Hawkbill IPA
    – Heir Of Malevolence Sour
    – Completely Different Nature DIPA
    – Haysaw Saison
    We hope to see you Thursday, May, 31st for this first-ever event!
  • Thursday, May 31st. Potions & Pixels – Clockwork Marauders Game Event. Carolina Beer Temple Ayrsley. 7 pm-10 pm. Clockwork Marauders has partnered with POTIONS & PIXELS to get together and celebrate the social media release of the up and coming tabletop game. They will be launching their presence on social media in order to raise awareness for the Kickstarter later this year, as well as showcasing some of the concept art. Join us for test plays of the new game, giveaways, and some local beers at Carolina Beer Temple at Ayrsley.
    We will also be bringing our huge amount of board games for you to choose from!   
  • Friday, June 1st. Moon Juice IPA Release. Sycamore Brewing. 12 pm-10 pm. We heaped three of our favorite new-school hops into this IPA with juicy, juicy abandon. Tangerine forward and oh so good!
    Cousins Maine Lobster serving lunch at 12noon and Food Truck Friday – South End starts at 5pm! 
  • Friday, June 1st. Peach of Mind Release. Catawba Brewing Co. 12 pm-10 pm. This refreshing session beer draws inspiration from the traditional working class ales of Southern Belgium during the late 19th century. Brewed with a generous portion of flaked wheat, the beer showcases the fruity esters of its farmhouse ale yeast strain, amplified by the addition of fresh South Carolina peaches during secondary fermentation.
    You’ll be able to find your own Peach of Mind within our 5-state distribution — draft and 6-pack cans — by the first week of June. 
  • Saturday, June 2nd. Blue Blaze 2 Year Anniversary. Blue Blaze Brewing. 12 pm-10pm Happy National Trails Day! And, help us raise a glass to cheers to 2 years!
    Blue Blaze Brewing is celebrating 2 years of providing Charlotte and surrounding communities with fresh, local craft beer.
    Come out with friends (or meet new ones) Saturday, June 2nd from 12pm to 10pm. Beer Releases, Food Trucks, Bands, and other Fun throughout the day.
    Look for more announcements coming soon!
    ____
    Event Schedule
    11:00 Bootcamp on Greenway by NC Yoga Bar (Sign up in Taproom)
    12:00 Yoga on Greenway by NC Yoga Bar (Sign up in Taproom)
    12:00 BEER RELEASE Soon to be Announced
    1:00 BEER RELEASE SoBo Orangerine Hazy IPA
    2:00 BEER RELEASE B. MacKaye’s Hell Raisin’ Scotch Ale (Aged on Oak)
    2:30 MUSIC Tony Eltora Trio
    3:00 BEER RELEASE Soon to be Announced
    4:00 MUSIC Simplified
    5:00 BEER RELEASE Soon to be Announced
    5.30 MUSIC Simplified
  • Saturday, June 2nd. Welcome Victory and Southern Tier to CLT! Temple Mojo Matthews. 9:30 pm-11 pm. Victory and Southern Tier have teamed up and are bringing a combined taproom/brewery to Charlotte!
    To help welcome them to the city, we are hosting a welcome party and featuring both breweries on tap on Saturday, June 2!
    We will have 4 beers from each brewery (TBD). We will be featuring draft pours, flights, and crowlers/growlers all day long!
    Reps from each brewery will be out to hang out and talk all things beer!
    See you out there!
  • Sunday, June 3rd. Dog Days & IPAs. Pintville Craft Beer Pineville. 12 pm-3 pm. Come join us for this paw-some event to raise money for Harvey’s Heroes Dog Rescue and to find some fur-ever homes for some sweet doggies! All puppers welcome to join the fun 🙂
    Featuring Lobster Dogs Food Truck !! 
  • Tuesday, June 5th. NoDable Release: Hazy Like Sunday Morning. 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 Hazy Like Sunday Morning IPA. You don’t want to miss getting a sip of this delicious Juicy IPA.
    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!
  • Tuesday, June 5th. Pint Night w/ Left Hand Brewing. The Casual Pint Rivergate. 6 pm. Left Hand Brewing will be here on June 5th to make your Tuesday worthwhile. Don’t miss out on the beers, swag and good times!

Brouwerij Rodenbach Fruitage

Posted on by Evan

Brouwerij (brewery) Rodenbach, Roeslar Belgium blends 3/4 young beer and 1/4 aged beer matured for 2 years in oak foeders, with the juice of cherries and elderberries to brew Rodenbach Fruitage, 4.2% ABV, and comes in 8-ounce cans. Rodenbach Fruitage pours red-brown color with the tiniest head that dissolves in an instant giving off tart red fruits, cherries that have a slightly faint sour aroma that leads to a similar taste with that cherry tartness with semi-sweet sour notes towards the back of the mouth with a light tart and sweet finish and a tart fruit aftertaste with faint sourness with a light mouthfeel. This is a great fruity beer but one that isn’t overly fruity. I give Rodenbach Fruitage an A+, a great beer you can have many of without it become overwhelming to your taste buds and on beer that I highly recommend trying. Well brewed for excellent overall flavor! Cheers!

Throwback Thursday: Thomas Creek Brewing Company Octoberfest Lager

Posted on by Evan

Originally posted on August 22nd, 2013.

Each year the beer world celebrates October fest, by brewing up Oktoberfest beer, which is either called, fest beer or Märzen (March). This type of beer was kept cool in a cave until October and brewed with higher gravity so they would keep. This particular beer is Thomas Creek Octoberfest Lager 6.0% ABV, from Greenville South Carolina. This Thomas Creek Octoberfest pours a nice bight copper/amber color with a finger and a half of whitish head that dissipates at a quick pace. Some light came through the glass, with a nice amount of carbonation bubbles. The aroma is big with a nice malty caramel scent with the faintest hop note. The taste on Octoberfest Lager is sweet with a caramel malt flavor up front, and then toward the back, you get the faintest hoppy flavor that quickly turns sweet. Then mouthfeel is light to medium, with a nice sweet caramel malt flavor. The aftertaste is sweet with a hint of very light vanilla and malty flavor. I have to say this beer is surprisingly good and well brewed, so this is an A beer. This Tomas creek is not overly sweet and malty, but just enough to keep this beer tasting good. I would surely recommend that you try this beer! Cheers! Please Enjoy Responsibly!

Stone Brewing Scorpion Bowl IPA

Posted on by Evan

This new year-round offering from Stone Brewing in Escondido California, Scorpion Bowl IPA, 7.5% is a tropical IPA using hops to create a tropical fruit flavor without any addition of tropical fruits. Scorpion Bowl pours a dark yellow color with a big four finger white head with great retention that leaves behind nice lacing throughout giving your senses a tropical fruit aroma with bitter/hoppy notes that take you into a semi-sweet tropical flavors, mango, pineapple, and some guava with old-school IPA bitterness with that familiar hoppy note towards the back of your tongue with a bitter tropical finish and a very smile at aftertaste of bitterness and tropical fruits with a medium mouthfeel. Stone Brewing Scorpion Bowl IPA is pretty well brewed and getting an A-. Just a little off the perfect mark due to the tropical flavors could be slightly bolder and more pronounced, but they were good as was the fact that Stone gave me a tropical flavor by just brewing with hops. I recommend Stone Brewing Scorpion Bowl IPA. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!