The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

Here are is this week news and event in and around the Charlotte, NC area

  • Wednesday, January 10th Triple C Brewing Company 4 pm-9 pm Pilot Batch Release Lucha Libre Barrilito Cask Stout. Don’t miss this 7.7% Cask Conditioned Stout packed with 3 different kinds of peppers, cacao nibs, and cinnamon! Bleu Barn Bistro has dinner covered! 
  • Thursday, January 11 Birdsong Brewing Co. 3 pm-10 pm Honey Pie Double IPA Release. it’s no secret that our Honey Pie Double IPA is often referred to as “Heaven in a glass.” In this limited release brew, a solid malt foundation is complemented by a generous amount of locally harvested honey from Cloister Honey, & you guessed it… HOPS! Our unique blend of hops will deliver you aromas of honeydew & grapefruit, & will have you pouring the second beer before you’ve finished the first! Join us for the release of Honey Pie Double IPA on 1/11/18! CANS & draft will go on sale at 3pm! 4-packs of 16oz cans will be $15 each & only available for sale in our taproom.
    ***Limit will be one case per customer, this is subject to change based on availability.  
  • Friday, January 12th U.S. National Whitewater Center. River’s Edge Craft Dinner Legal Remedy Brewing Co. 6:30 pm-9 pm. Ticket info http://www.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: Legal Remedy 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/
  • Saturday, January 13th Cavendish Brewing Company (Gastonia, NC) Boilerman Imperial Stout Bottle Release 12 pm-11 pm. Have you guys started bottling yet?”
    “Do you have anything I can buy that is bottled?”
    We are happy to announce that we have answered the call to one of our largest demands. Our premium imperial stout, Boilerman, will be available in standard and bourbon barrel aged styles. 22oz bomber bottles will be available for purchase in the taproom; limit 2 per style per person while supplies last. Local musicians, Buffalo Nickel, will be performing at 7pm in our taproom and Bebo’s Mac Shack will be serving up some delicious food starting at 4pm! 
  • Saturday, January 13th Grapevine Wine Shop/Wine Bar Riverwalk Rock Hill, South Carolina. Saturday Beer Sampler. 2 pm-5 pm. We’ll serve up SIX 6-oz. pours. Just Drop By | No Reservations Required | $12 per person
  • Tuesday, January 16th Flying Saucer N. Tryon Firestone Walker Release Party. 6 pm-12 am. We are welcoming Firestone Walker to North Carolina and tapping a handful of their excellent brews. Pivo Pils, Union Jack IPA, Nitro Merlin, Double Barrell Jack, and more.

Ballast Point Brewing Company Sour Wench Blackberry Ale

Posted on by Evan

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The popularity of a brewery may be a reason why someone will try a beer. This Ballast Point Brewing Company Sour Wench Blackberry Ale, 7.0% ABV was one beer that yes I tried because Ballast Point is one popular brewery. Sour Wench is brewed with Marion Blackberries, a whole pound of them. Sour Wench pours a deep red color with a one finger pink head that falls into itself as quickly as it can giving aromas of sweet blackberries with touches of tart sour notes that then lead to a sweet and sour blackberry flavor with touches of tartness, but I found more fruity flavor than sour/tarts flavors. Sour Wench finish with a hint of sweet yet tart blackberry flavors with a semi-sweet aftertaste that all has a light mouthfeel.  Ballast Point Brewing Company Sour Wench Blackberry Ale is good without having too much of any specific flavor, I give it a B. It goes down easy but I do see that after three Sour Wenches you may not want another, by then the flavor is just a bit much on your taste buds. It’s enjoyable otherwise and one that I recommend trying. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!   

Throwback Thursday: Narragansett Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout

Posted on by Evan

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Hello to everyone. There is something to be said for finding cheap beer in the store that sounds good, but that isn’t always good, so be careful. What I found was Narragansett Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout, 5.3% ABV from Rhode Island. This is a collaboration between Autocrat Coffee, which was started in 1895, and Narragansett Brewery which has been around just as long. Narragansett Autocrat pours a black color with a brownish tan four finger rocky head that slow to dissipate. I found there to be no light coming through nor did I see much carbonation bubbles due to the darkness of the beer. The aroma is strong with coffee, smell like a fresh cup of dark roast coffee. The taste of this beer is much like the aroma, big pot of dark roast coffee with just a little tiny hint of sweetness from the lactose sugars (that is what makes a milk stout). There is a little burned/roasted noted on the back that leads you into a nice cup of dark coffee finish with a semi-sweet roasted coffee aftertaste. This stout surprised me. It was really good. I would give Narragansett Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout an A-. I didn’t really find any think of the flavor profile that tells me this is milk stout, but it was good nonetheless. I liked how this has big coffee flavors to it. Taste like something that Starbucks or any other coffee shop would sell. They really hit the coffee stout right on the head. I enjoyed it and so should you; yes I am recommending Narragansett Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout. So go out and try it. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

Here are this weeks news and events happening in and around the Charlotte, NC area.

  • Thursday, January 4th 2 pm-11 pm Legion Brewing Release of Winnie The Brew. We are bringing back one of your favorites: our Honey Triple IPA. “Winnie The Brew”! This beauty is aggressively hopped and dangerously drinkable. Liberal amounts of Chinook, Centennial and Simcoe hops are the basis for a sticky, dank, piney, and resinous hop-bomb. A solid malt backbone and the addition of 120 pounds of raw Clover Honey round out the high hop intensity, bringing balance and a touch of sweetness. Available on tap or in crowlers to-go!
  • Thursday, January 4th 6 pm-10 pm Carolina Beer Temple at Ayrsley. Sycamore Brewing Tap Takeover. Join us Thursday (Jan 4th) for the Sycamore Brewing Tap Takeover! We will be featuring several tasty beers from them and discounted pints and flights will be available all day long! The tap list is still being determined so please stay tuned! See you at the Temple!
  •  Friday, January 5th 6:30 pm-9 pm U.S. National Whitewater Center. River’s Edge Craft Dinner-Highland Brewing Co. 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: Highland Brewing Company
    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/      For tickets usnwc.org
  • Friday, January 5th 5 pm-8 pm Birdsong Tap Takeover. Duckworth’s Grill and Taphouse Park Rd. Ten great beers on tap along with SWAG giveaways!
    Barrel Aged Prehistoric Dog
    Be-Bop-A-Ree Bop
    Higher Ground
    Mexicali
    Prehistoric Dog
    Rice Rice Baby
    St Tuber
    St Tuber Barrel Aged
    Weasels on Woodpeckers
    Paradise City Session IPA
  • Saturday, January 6th 12 pm-9n pm Lenny BoyBrewing Co. Q & Brew Day: Korean BBQ, Beer, and Booch. Join us for our next Q & Brew Day at the Lenny Boy Brewing taproom.
    A Bao Time will be serving some mouth-watering Korean BBQ, including bulgogi beef, Korean-style spinach and potatoes, and sweet peanut pancakes.
    The smell alone will leave your mouth watering. Grab a plate and a brew, and stick around for FREE live music!
    Scott Smith will be playing from 3 – 6 PM in the Taproom.
    New Kombucha Release: Blue Lagoon (coconut blueberry)
    We’ll see you there – cheers 🍻
  • Monday, February 5th 6:30 pm-8:30 pm Sycamore Brewing. Charlotte Sushi at Sycamore Brewing (hosted by Birmingham Sushi Class) In this 2-hour, hands-on class, you’ll learn to make the perfect sushi rice, sauces you love from the sushi bar (from bang-bang to eel sauce), where to shop, what to buy and how to safely serve raw fish at home with confidence. Students receive two rolls each, and a take-home cheat sheet full of notes, tips and tricks, and more, so you won’t need to take notes. Tickets at http://www.BirminghamSushiClass.com. 

Nebraska Brewing Company IPA

Posted on by Evan

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Only The second Nebraska Brewing beer I’ve had, this is IPA 6.9% ABV with 72 IBUs. Nebraska brewing has some interesting can pop tops, the entire top of the can comes off when you open it sort of turning the can into a drinking glass or vessel. This a west coast inspired IPA using Citra Hops and pours an orange color with a one and a half fingers of white that fizzles into a nice ring giving off citrus fruit aromas with resiny pine notes with some bitterness that draw you into flavors of nice citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit with a piney resin bitterness with a slight bitter citrusy finish and a slight bitter piney citrus aftertaste with a medium mouthfeel. Being the second Nebraska Brewing beer, gimmick aside, I must say their beers are good, this one is a B, and was most enjoyable without being overly bitter and hoppy.  I do recommend Nebraska Brewing Company IPA. This IPA is a good one and one I will come back too real soon. It ticks all the right boxes on a what makes a good IPA. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!  

Throwback Thursday: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Celebration Fresh Hop Ale

Posted on by Evan

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Here we have a beer from one of the earliest craft beer breweries in the US, Sierra Nevada, in Chico California, and soon to have a brewery here in the mountains of North Carolina. This is the winter/Christmas seasonal Celebration, 6.8%ABV. This is fresh hop ale, so that is using fresh hop not dries pellets of hops like in some IPA’s. This is also known as a wet hop. This ale was created in the winter of 1981 and always has the year on the neck label. Sierra Nevada uses whole-cone American hops in this fresh IPA. This is my first time having this, but my second Sierra Nevada beer. Celebration pours a nice rich amber color with a light tan head five-finger head that just sticks around forever and makes such massive lacing around the glass. I did find some light coming through the glass with a small amount of carbonation there. The aroma of Celebration is big pine needles with a big citrus fruit like grapefruit, orange, and some pineapple. There are orange and grapefruit juice. This just has that classic west coast fresh IPA aroma to it. This is just a very nice smelling IPA. The taste on Celebration is amazing, with a big grapefruit hit at first with a nice orangey/orange juice flavor right behind that. There is a little pine needle taste there too, but it’s a bit faint. Yes, there is hop bitterness thereto, but it’s more of a citrusy and slightly less hop plant-like. The finish on this is clean a bit fruity and slightly hoppy but does finish nicely. The aftertaste doesn’t linger too much just enough to be enjoyable with a piney pineapple, big grapefruit, and a little orange. Celebration has a great balance between piney and citrus hop aromas and flavors, and it wowed me. So this is getting an A from me. This is a good example of a classic fresh hop ale/IPA. Sure it isn’t what you expect from a winter beer, but hey it’s something different for the winter season and it is great. Yeah, it could have been a little more on the fruit or hop flavors to make it an A+, but not a whole lot could be done. This is a near perfect beer. I love this and highly recommend this! So go out and get it before it is gone. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Straight to Ale Brewing Company Monkeynaut India Pale Ale

Posted on by Evan

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A few deliveries ago Brewpublik sent Straight to Ale Monkeynaut India Pale Ale, 7.25% my way. This IPA has one crazy cool label on it’s can, an Astronaut monkey in space. Straight to Ale Brewing in Huntsville, Alabama one of the few homes of NASA space program. Monkeynaut pours a deep orange color with a slight haze to it and a three finger off-white slow fading head with dank aromas of slight garlic with  hints of a malted sweetness and some hop bitterness that flows to a dank resinous garlic flavor with a nice big bitterness and hop flavor that finishes just as bitter as it starts with a lingering hoppy note that gives you a strong hoppy bitter aftertaste that there until you take another sip all with a medium mouthfeel. Straight to Ale Monkeynaut is a strong bitter IPA but not so bad I give it a C- and don’t think you can have more than one, it will wipe out your taste buds, I know that I won’t. The bitterness on this IPA takes away from all the other flavor in Monkeynaut and really holds it back. Monkeynaut needs more malt flavor to balance it out and sort of smooth it over. I wouldn’t recommend Straight to Ale Monkeynaut. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!  

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

Here are this week’s new’s and happening in and around the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Merry Christmas!  

  • Wednesday, December 20th, 4 pm-9 pm Triple C Brewing Co. Piolet Batch Release Bière De Garde. Bière de Garde pilot release! Bleu Barn Bistro has dinner covered!
  • Wednesday, December 20th 6 pm-9 pm Vintner’s Hill Mint Hill, NC. Catawba Brewing Tap Takeover. Come on out to our last tap takeover of the year, featuring Catawba Brewing Co. Celebrating 17 years, Catawba will be pouring White Zombie, Peanut Butter Stout, and Friki Tiki IPA. You won’t want to miss this! 
  • December 20th-December 24th Sweet Union Brewing 12 Growlers of Christmas. For the 12 days leading up to Christmas, we’ll be offering $12 growler fills on a select beer or beers everyday!
    Schedule as follows:
    Sundog Saison – Every day!
    12/13: Hoppy Wheat
    12/14: Brown Ale
    12/15: ESB, Olde Pendragon
    12/16: Oktoberfest, Blondina
    12/17: Distant Constellation Witbier, Sweet Tater Ale
    12/20: Distant Constellation Witbier
    12/21: Blue Tale Pale Ale
    12/22: Chamo Stout, ESB
    12/23: Astro Pterodactyl IPA, Blondina
    12/24: ESB, Hoppy Wheat
  • Thursday, December 21st 6 pm-9 pm Carolina Beer Temple Matthews, NC Belgian Winter Tap Takeover. Please join us Thursday, December 21st at Carolina Beer Temple when we will be featuring Belgian winter ales in a tap takeover extravaganza!!! There will be 4 Belgian winter ales on tap: Chouffe N’Ice, Delirium Noel, Gouden Carolus Noel (2016), and Scaldis Noel. We will be featuring flights and discounted drafts all day! Be sure to join us Thursday, December 21st for this exciting event! 
  • Thursday, December 21st 6 pm-10 pm Trackside Crafts Pineville, NC Return of New Holland! We welcome back New Holland Brewing Company for some fun just before Christmas weekend! Stay tuned for updates on draft & package offerings!
  • Friday, December 22nd 4 pm-10 pm High Branch Can Release McGill Ave Hazy IPA. High Branch Brewing Co. Concord, NC. This Friday at 4 – releasing McGill Ave Hazy IPA just in time for Christmas! Smooth and easy drinking with a distinctive hop flavor and aroma from the heavy dry hopping with Mosaic and Columbus. Stop by and grab some!
  • December 25th MERRY CHRISTMAS!
  • Friday, January 19th 5 pm-10 pm, Saturday, January 20th 5 pm- 10pm, Sunday, January 21st 5 pm-9 pm, Monday, January 22nd 5 pm- 9 pm, Tuesday, January 23rd 5 pm-9 pm Charlotte Resturant Week: Craft Beer Dinner hosted by Tin Kitchen and NoDa Brewing Company at NoDa Brewing Company. NoDa Brewing Company and TIN Kitchen have been teaming up for years to bring Charlotteans the best food and craft beer pairings in the city. While the tap room remains the perfect place for a relaxed evening, the private area, unique table-side service and upscale menu duringCharlotte Restaurant Week make for a special night out. This one-of-kind, flavor-packed menu coupled with locally crafted brews is an experience you don’t want to miss! The full menu and ability to reserve your table at this completely unique Queen’s Feast experience will be available on Friday, December 29! 

Mission Brewery Dark Seas Russian Imperial Stout

Posted on by Evan

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Mission Brewery in San Diego California brewers some popular beers Dark Seas Russian Imperial Stout, 9.3% ABV is one of those I’ve not had any Mission Brewery beers before so Dark Seas is my first which I receive quite recently in a Brewpublik delivery. Dark Seas pours a pitch black color with some beige edges and a two finger beige/brown quickly fealing head that leave a tiny beige halo behind with aroma of big roasted coffee notes slight sweet chocolate with faint molasses and black licorice that leads you into tastes of roasted notes, coffee, a bittersweet chocolate, slight bakers cocoa that finish with a strong roasted flavor with barely a touch of sweetness and a big coffee roasted aftertaste that lingers for a while with a tiny ash-like note all with a full rich mouthfeel. I thought this Mission Brewery Dark Seas Russian Imperial Stout wasn’t the greatest but was still good, average, C+. I like the roasted notes throughout and in the aftertaste but I would’ve liked a touch more sweetness to add more to the roasted notes, but this beer was okay. I kind of would recommend this, but I wouldn’t rush out for Dark Seas. It was average. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!   

Weyerbacher Brewing Co. Berry Monks Belgian Tripel

Posted on by Evan

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This beer, Weyerbacher Brewing Co. Beery Monks, 9.3% ABV Belgian Tripel brewed with cranberries, orange peel, and ginger is a fruited version of their Merry Monks Belgian Tripel. Berry Monks pours a bright orange color with a two finger that is gone before you even see it’s there giving you a weird aroma of gingery cranberries with faint orange notes. The aroma on this is a bit medicinal smelling and the flavor is sour/tart with orange, cranberry, and big ginger notes that do not seem to meld well with one another. The flavor is a bit like berry medicine with a tart and slightly sour ginger finish with a sour bitter aftertaste that lingers too long with a light mouthfeel. You really don’t taste the 9.3% ABV because it’s masked by all the flavors that aren’t so good, I give this a D-. Cranberries and ginger shouldn’t go together and it made an off-putting flavor that makes for a bad beer and I don’t recommend Weyerbacher Brewing Co. Beery Monks, I won’t be having this again. Blah! Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!