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!

Rogue Ales 10 Hop IPA

Posted on by Evan

This beer Rogue Ales 10 Hop IPA, 10.10% ABV 2ith 78 IBUs brewed in Newport Oregon is a double IPA brewed with 10 different hops such as Rogue Farms Liberty, Independence, Revolution, Keven, Adair, Rebel, Newport, Yaquina , Freedom & Alluvial Hops as well a Rogue Farms Dare & Risk, Goldpils Vienna Malts, Rogue Farms Hopyard Honey, Dextrose, Kolsch #2 Yeast, & Free range coastal water. 10 Hop IPA is part of a series of beer that has started out as 1 hop and gone front there and there is no telling how far or how many hops will be going future beers. 10 Hop IPA pours a deep orange color with a big four finger white slow head that gives you a slight sweetness in the aroma with bitterness and malt notes that takes you to a flavor that is big with an alcoholic boozy note with a semi-sweet honey note in the middle of the mouth with a hoppy flavor on the back of the tongue with big boozy bitter finish and an alcoholic bitter aftertaste with a big full mouthfeel. 10 Hop IPA does become more alcoholic as it warms. This is a big IPA but a good IPA and gets a B+. It has bold flavors without big way too hoppy and bitter, but it has enough to make it a big double IPA. You definitely know this is 10 hop IPA. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Revelry Brewing Co. Lefty Loosey India Pale Ale

Posted on by Evan

Revelry Brewing from Charleston, South Carolina is now being distributed here in Charlotte and other places in North Carolina. I picked up Lefty Loosey India Pale Ale, 7.0% ABV from The Good Bottle Co, and Lefty Loosey is in the west coast style. Lefty Loosey pours an Orange color with a trio finer tight white head with some good retention giving off aromas of nice clean grapefruit with some hints of bitter orange that takes you into a flavor of nice grapefruit with a light bitter orange notes that has a nice hop flavor to it with a nice smooth but citrus bitter finish and an aftertaste of nice hoppy bitterness with touches of citrus fruits with a light mouthfeel. Revelry Brewing Lefty Loosey India Pale Ale is a great easy drinking IPA that is well deserving of an A+. Not one of the flavor overpower you palate. I think that Lefty Loosey is an IPA that you can have more than just a few without wrecking you palate. I highly recommend Lefty Loosey India Pale Ale. It is highly tasty beer! Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Champion Brewing Company Shower Beer

Posted on by Evan

This 2015 GABF gold winner Bohemian-style Pilsner (Czech style Pilsner) Shower Beer, 4.5% ABV, 35 IBUs from Champion Brewing Company out of Charlottesville Virginia was quite popular when it was first released and is still quite popular. Shower Beer uses 100% traditional Czech Saaz hops and aged cold on lager yeast for weeks. Shower Beer pours a clear, clean, crisp yellow color with a frothy white two and half head that dissipates at an even pace giving off crisp sweet aromas with a slight hop note wafting in with a clean crisp flavor of a nice sweetly hop note that finish refreshingly crisp with a touch of a hop sweetness that gives way to a clean and crisp aftertaste with a light mouthfeel. This Shower Beer is a great beer to make showering oh so fun with out making you slip in the shower. It an A+ beer and one you can crush a six pack with out killing your palate. So I highly recommend Champion Brewing Company Shower Beer. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Throwback Thursday: Samuel Smith Pure Brewed Organic Lager

Posted on by Evan

When it comes to craft beer the word Lager is looked on as a bad or dirty word. That can be so do to BMC (Bud Miller Coors) for brewing such bad or weak tasting beers. But I don’t think that lager is such a foul word. I have had some great lagers and this Samuel Smith Pure Brewed Organic Lager, 5.0% ABV, is what a BMC/lager beer should taste like. Samuel Smith an English brewery has some of the best beers in the world. This lager is no different. Samuel Smith Lager pours a bright golden color with a pure white foamy head that says for a nice while and makes very nice lacing. There is tons of light streaming through the glass with tons of little carbonation bubbles. This is a beautiful look lager beer. The aroma on this English lager is bready from the malted barely used. I also found a cracker like scent among the bready aroma. The taste is not far off from the nice aroma; I found it bready up front and a little teeny sweetness toward the end. The flavors on this lager are crisp, sharp, light, and refreshing. The mouthfeel is light and refreshing, and has a clean crisp bready like finish. The aftertaste is a tad bit sweeter than the start but fades out rather quickly. I think this is Samuel Smith Pure Brewed Organic Lager is how a BMC should taste. Forget adding SO much water to the darn lager. This Samuel Smith beer is getting A+ from me. This is a an excellently brewed lager, and a great example of how a lager is supposed to be. I have yet to have a bad Samuel Smith beer! All of the beers that they brew are just as excellent as the last. This Organic Lager is something I would have over and over again, and it’s good that is 5.0% ABV. I highly recommend trying this lager, so go and see how great this beer is! Cheers Please enjoy responsibly!

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!