Throwback Thursday: Mother Earth Brewing Old Neighborhood Oatmeal Stout

Posted on by Evan

Originally post December, 29th 2013.

Over the years brewers have been putting different things into beer to make a new taste sensation and/or flavor profile. But one ingredient has been used for quite some time now. Oatmeal is one item that is widely used in porters and stouts for a nice touch of sweetness and texture. He is a local North Carolina example of an oatmeal porter, Mother Earth’s Old Neighborhood, 5.5% ABV. This is almost a sessionable oatmeal porter ABV 5.5% ABV. Old Neighborhood pours a deep black color with dark ruby red edges, with a nice big three finger beige head what sticks around quite nicely and forms good looking lacing. I saw no light coming through and I found there to be very little carbonation bubbles. The aroma is like a nice sweet bowl of oatmeal on a cold day with hints of roasted malts. The taste is at first slightly roasted then comes a hint of the sweetness from the oatmeal. I did find a tiny bitterness from the roasted right before the sweetness. The mouthfeel is smooth with a slight creaminess and has a semi-sweet finish with a hint of a roasted character. The after taste is slightly sweeter still with a nice roasted quality. Overall Old Neighborhood Oatmeal Porter is a solid B+ beer. It is easier to drink than others in this style and has a great balance of flavors, and isn’t overdone on one particular thing. I would like to have this one again. So go out and try Mother Earth’s Old Neighborhood Oatmeal Porter and see what you think of it. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

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

  • Thursday, October 22nd. Special Brownies Chocolate Stout 2020 Release. Sycamore Brewing. 4 pm-9 pm.

Special Brownies Chocolate Stout is coming BAAAACK!Pouring in our taproom, and available for pickup or FREE delivery at SycamoreBrew.com on 10/24/20.👩‍🍳 A pinch of this, a dash of that. Into the mixing bowl! These brownies will take you to another dimension.FOOD TRUCKS:
🌭 My Sausage Buddy
🥐 Strudelteig EuropeanLIVE MUSIC:
🎸 Falcon Heart

  • Friday, October 23rd. Small Batch Release: Strawberry Shortcakes on NITRO. Red Clay Ciderworks. 2 pm-10 pm. Next up in our small batch desert series is Strawberry Shortcake, a semi-sweet cider with strawberry, vanilla, just a touch of lemon zest and served on Nitro to give it that creamy mouthfeel!
  • Friday, October 23rd. Short Sleeve Tuxedo – Chocolate Rye Stout. Triple C Brewing Company. 4 pm-10 pm.

A rich chocolate stout with flavors of sweet milk chocolate and brownie batter. Rye and Chocolate Rye malt contribute to this full-bodied beer with added complexity and subtle malty spiciness. This stout finishes with burnt coffee flavors from Roasted Barely, giving it a balance of sweetness and roastiness. Draft and Crowlers.7.3% ABV

  • Friday, October 23rd. Hot Pistol Release. NoDa Brewing Company. 3 pm-10 pm.

Returning For 2020 — Hot Pistol Chocolate Raspberry Habanero Stout! 🌶🍫Rich chocolate aroma accented with the tartness of raspberries and subtle heat of habanero peppers (7% ABV).The winning brew from our first ever homebrew competition.Available on draft and in 4-packs to-go at the taproom and brew-thru starting October 23.Available at retailers beginning October 26.This Stout Is Smokin’! 🌶

  • Saturday, October 24th. White Blaze Winter Ale Release. Triple C Brewing Company. 12 pm-10 pm.

Our favorite winter ale is back on draft and in cans with a new look!White Blazes mark the entire 2200 miles of the Appalachian Trail leading weary hikers in the right direction. We brewed this Winter Ale with Ceylon Cinnamon and Vanilla Beans, in honor of the great App Trail that provides a respite from our chaotic city lives.6% ABV

  • Sunday, October 25th. Pups and Pumpkins. World of Beer (Epicenter, Charlotte). 1 pm. Bring your furry friends by in their best Halloween costume for a pet costume contest! Best dog costume will win a $50 gift certificate to Canine Cafe Charlotte! We will also be featuring a specialty pumpkin beers all day. Costume winner will be announced at 2:30 PM!

Allagash Brewing Company North Sky Stout

Posted on by Evan

Allagash Brewing Company North Sky Stout, 7.5% AVB, and is brewed in Portland, Maine, as a Belgian-Style Stout. This stout brewed with Allagash 2-Row Malted Barley Blend, Local Pale Malt, Local Oats, Torrified Wheat, Chocolate Malt, Roasted Barley, Midnight Wheat grains, Northern Brewer, Cascade hops, and Belgian Abbey-Style yeast. North Sky pours a rich black color with a three-finger beige head with a big ole bubble in it and is very foamy. The Aroma of North Sky is roasted, sweet with light fruity notes (semi-darkish fruits), and some malty scented notes. North Sky has a nice roast flavor that slowly hits the tastebuds with some nice malted sweet notes and light fruit notes with a medium to barely full mouthfeel is not as thick as some others and makes it easy to drink. North Sky has a roasted malt finish and an aftertaste of roasted notes with a faint hit of that fruit and some sweet notes. Allagash Brewing Company North Sky Stout was a bit of a surprise. I was not expecting it to be as non-heavy from a stout (light as in mouthfeel). It has good Belgian stout qualities to it and has good flavor overall, giving Allagash Brewing Company North Sky Stout an A., and something I think you should give a try! Please stay safe and enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Throwback Thursday: Fürst Wallerstein Weissbierpils

Posted on by Evan

Originally posted on August 4th, 2013.

My favorite beer style is hefeweizen or wheat beer. The best come from Germany and does this one, but this First Wallerstein Weissbierpils 5.10% ABV, it is not your typical Weiss beer, it is a hybrid. This is a combination of wheat and a pilsner. Fürst Wallerstein Weissbierpils is a Total Wine and More brewery direct product. Fürst Wallerstein Weissbierpils pours a hazy yellow/gold color with a big thick white three finger head that makes great lacing. There is not a lot of light streaming through the glass, but there are tons of great carbonation bubbles. The aroma is slightly sweet with a little citrus and a big banana scents. This beer has similar aromas to a regular German Weiss beer but just a little lighter. The taste is of light banana and even lighter citrus flavors. There is not a real heavy wheat flavor like you would get on regular Weiss or Hefe’s, it does have a lighter wheat taste. The mouthfeel is medium. Fürst Wallerstein Weissbierpils finishes nice a semi-sweet with a nice banana-like aftertaste that sticks for a little while after each wonderful sip. I like this so I am giving this A+.  This is a lighter version of a great German Hefeweizen. Fürst Wallerstein Weissbierpils is not overly done and too heavy to drink a lot of, and that is why I think it is good. IU would highly recommend that you try this one. So go and try Fürst Wallerstein Weissbierpils and see what you think of this hybrid style beer. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

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

  • Thursday, October 15th. Hazy Sexy Cool New England IPA Release! Birdsongs Brewing Co. 3 pm-10 pm. 

Thank you for waiting patiently! It’s been a crazy year but we are pleased to announce that we will be releasing Hazy Sexy Cool New England IPA on Thursday, 10/15! Draft and cans of this limited release will go on sale at 3p! Hazy, sexy, and cool. We’ve been making hazy, unfiltered beer for years, long before the haze craze and love for the New England style IPA. But why not haze it up? Brewed with Citra, Mosaic & El Dorado hops, this IPA is sure to deliver all that citrusy juiciness we’ve come to know and love. 6.8% ABV

50 IBU

  • Friday, October 16th. Watch it Fall – Juicy IPA Release. Triple C Brewing Company. 4 pm-10 pm. 

A nod to a topical song from one of our favorite musicians, Watch It Fall is a NEIPA packed with Citra, Amarillo, and Azacca hops for aromas of mango and papaya. Soft bitterness with flavors of orange pulp and dried apricot, and a touch of pine. 

6.9% ABV

  • Saturday, October 17th. Carolina Blue Sky Fruited Sour Can Release. Triple C Brewing Company. 12 pm-10 pm. 

This deep purple rendition of our sherbet series contains Blueberry, Blackberry, Boysenberry, and Vanilla. Smells and tastes like a berry smoothie straight out of the mixer. 7.0% ABV 16 oz 4pack / $15

  • Tuesday, October 20th. RBG Southeastern IPA Release. Pilot Brewing. 2 pm. Tickets at pilotbrewing.square.sit. 

Women Belong In All Places Where Decisions Are Being Made Southeastern IPA • 6.5% Southeastern IPA is a clear American IPA brewed with flaked maize and a tropical hop blend of Lotus, Citra, and Amarillo. Finishes dry and refreshing, leaving the palate wanting more.$2 from every 4-pack will be donated to the Dottie Rose Foundation, which aims to connect the dots within the technology and computer science sphere to educate, support, and inspire the next generation of young women. Other RBG swags will be available including button pins, stickers, and koozies. 100% of profits made from the merchandise will be donated to Dottie Rose.VE-GO Food Truck will be on-site for our Vegan Taco Tuesday from 5-8 pm

The olde Mecklenburg Brewery Hornets Nest Hefeweizen

Posted on by Evan

Brewed locally here in Charlotte, North Carolina, The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery Hornets Nest Hefeweizen, 5.3% ABV is a Great American Beer Festival bronze award win. This beer named after England’s General Cornwallis’ name for the area when Charlotte met more resistance than anticipated during the Revolutionary War. It’s an ode to the Charlotte Basketball team, The Hornets. Hornets Nest pours a golden color with a there and half creamy bright white head that slowly dissipates into great lacing. The aroma is what you’d expected from a Hefeweizen with banana and clove sweetness. Then you get a slight spiced noted that pops up briefly in the middle of your mouth. A tiny hop note in the back of your mouth with a nice almost creamy medium mouthfeel that finishes with a nice light sweet wheat flavor, and has a lingering aftertaste of banana wheat with hints of slight sweetness. This beer is a perfect example of a good Hefeweizen. A little on the lighter side and, I have had some pretty heavy/fuller examples of this particular style. But The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery Hornets Nest Hefeweizen did not disappoint, and I give it an A+. I highly recommended The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery Hornets Nest Hefeweizen. Please stay safe and enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Bell’s Brewery Best Brown American Brown Ale

Posted on by Evan

Bell’s Brewery Best Brown American Brown Ale, 5.8% purchased from The Butcher’s Market and is brewed in Comstock, Michigan, and brewed with American hops. Best Brown bridges the gap between lighter-bodied beer and malty stouts and is a good gateway into porters and stouts. Best Brown pours a brown caramel color with a big creamy, fluffy beige three finger head that very slowly dissipates, leaving some pretty lacing behind. The aroma is sweet with some caramel nutty notes with some decent coca & roasted maltiness. The flavor is similar to the nose, with caramel nutty flavor at first, then cocoa and roasted malts with a little hoppy note on the end, with an almost full mouthfeel that finishes with a sweet hoppy note and a nice semi-sweet roasted cocoa aftertaste that lingers a bit. This brown ale is easy to drink. I give Bell’s Brewery Best Brown American Brown Ale an A- just the little hop note at the end held it back an inch. Best Brown was otherwise a wonderful brown ale that you should try it is a good fall beer and not too heavy or high in alcohol. I would have Bell’s Brewery Best Brown American Brown Ale again soon. Please stay safe and enjoy responsibly! Cheers! 

Throwback Thursday: Blowing Rock Summer Ale

Posted on by Evan

Originally posted July 4th, 2014.

In the summertime, brewing companies use the term summertime ale or summer ale on their summer seasonal beers. Those two, summertime ale and summer ale are broad when being used in a descriptive use. There are so many different kinds of summer type beers out there. There is wheat, wheat with a fruit, Klösch, white (wit), fruit beers, shandies, radlers, lagers, pilsners, and IPA. These summer type beers tend to have a lower abv than other seasonal beers. I look forward to all the summery beers.  So here is one Summer Ale from the Blowing Rock Brewing Company in Hickory North Carolina, this is there Summer Ale (Belgian Witbier), 5.0% ABV. Their Summer Ale is brewed with sweet orange peel, Curacao bitter orange peel, and coriander. Blowing Rock Summer Ale pours a medium orange goldish color with a three-finger fluffy white head that sticks around for a nice amount of time before fading into somewhat thin lacing on the glass. I found some light coming through a bit, not a whole lot and there is a decent amount of carbonation bubbles to it. The aroma is a bit spicy on my nose from the coriander. There is also a sweet and bitter orange peel scent clashing together. The taste on this Summer Ale is a tiny bit sweet at first for a second or two then becomes slightly bitter and the spice coriander hits. I found the taste to be more of the coriander then anything else. It wasn’t so bad but just a bit too much in my opinion. There is some citrus flavor the quickly fades in and out on the back. The mouthfeel is medium and has a spiced coriander finish that leads into a slightly bitter orange and big spiced coriander aftertaste. With every sip of Summer Ale,  I really tasted a big-spiced coriander wave with a tinge of orange peel. This beer wasn’t what I was expecting it to be, but not really a letdown. I mean I didn’t think it was so bad, it’s somewhat good, just not great. So I would give this a B-. I mean I’ve had some world glass Belgian style Witbiers before and this is that, but it sill somewhat good, but needs to have less of a big spiced flavor. I would have this again soon. So if you have not had Blowing Rock Brewing Companies Summer Ale, then go out and try it for yourself. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!         

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

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

  • Friday, October 9th. Imperial Red Rye Al Release. Pilot Brewing. 12 pm-9 pm. Tickets at pilot brewing.square.site.

Single Barrel Smoked Rye Imperial Red Ale • 10.5%Brewtender, Amanda really out did herself with this single barrel creation!This Bluebird Distillery barrel produced their Four Grain Bourbon, made from Corn, Rye, Red Winter Wheat & Barley. The same grains were used to brew this Imperial Smoked Rye Red Ale. Notes of sweet spice, oak and vanilla. $1 of every bottle is donated to Project Halo, a no-kill animal shelter and sanctuary. $4 4oz pours will be available for on-site consumption. Bottles will be available online starting at noon and in the taproom at 2 PM.

  • Friday, October 9th. Sticky When Wet Release. NoDa Brewing Company 3 pm-10 pm.

Sticky When Wet is as fresh and sticky as it can possibly get! 🙌🏻This wet-hopped beer has an assertive bitterness balanced with bright aroma and flavors of peach and grapefruit derived from heavy additions of Citra and Mosaic hops.Sitting at 6.31% ABV, this brew is one you don’t want to miss. Dry-hopped with three pounds per barrel of Citra and Mosaic. 🍻Fun fact: these hops are shipped overnight to us from the west coast as soon as they are picked and we use them within an hour or two of receiving. Talk about fresh.

  • Friday, October 9th. “Momo” – Oak Aged Peach Farmhouse Ale Bottle Release. Town Brewing Company. 2 pm.

Momo
Oak Aged Farmhouse Ale with Peaches
6.1%After fermentation with Norwegian kviek yeast and Lactobacillus bacteria, this golden ale was transferred into red wine barrels for aging, undergoing refermentation with Brettanomyces clausenii for added funk and complexity. The resulting farmhouse ale was rested on locally grown peaches, producing a beautiful bouquet of aromas and soft acidity balanced by pleasant oak tannins. Momo was an exercise in patient artisanship, crafted for thoughtful enjoyment. Momo will be released at our taproom on Friday October 9th in 375ml bottles beginning at 2pm.-$8.99 per bottle- 

Haw River Farmhouse Ale Cultural Divide Farmstand Pickle Kettled-Sour Saison

Posted on by Evan

A purchase from the Butcher’s Market, Haw River Farmhouse Ales Cultural Divide Farmstand Pickle Kettled-Sour Saison, 6.2% ABV is part of a series of beers called Cultural Divide and is brewed with Carolina Culture yogurt fresh from cow’s milk infused with fresh North Carolina cucumbers, fresh dill & pickling spices. Farmstand Pickle pours a orange-y yellow color with a big three finger quick white head with sour pickle brine/juicy aromas and light cucumber. Taste is much like the name of this beer, tart yet semi sour dill pickle with some pickle juice that mixes with light cucumber with nice amount of effervescent to give Farmstand Pickle a medium mouthfeel with a nice tart and sour pickle finish and a similar aftertaste with little of of saison notes following the pickled flavor that lingers for a bit. Haw River Farmhouse Ales Cultural Divide Farmstand Pickle Kettled-Sour Saison is a beer that slowly grows on you and gets a B-. The Saison base does help with the dill pickle flavors otherwise this beer wouldn’t be very good, I mean most people don’t usually drink straight pickle juice. I would say to try this just as a curiosity, it is an interesting beer that isn’t that bad. Please stay safe and enjoy responsibly!