Southern Pines Brewing Company Reverse Nostalga New England DIPA

Posted on by Evan

Picked up Southern Pines Brewing Company Reverse Nostalgia New England DIPA, 9.5% ABV local from Pop the Top Bottle Shop here in Charlotte, NC. This is a New England style Double IPA and New England style IPA have grown in popularity of the last few years. This IPA style uses the hop aroma and flavor without the bracing bitterness. Reverse Nostalgia pours a hazy deep orange color with a two finger deep white rocky head that gives off piney fruity notes with an aroma of grapes, faint pineapple and grapefruit that leads into a flavor of grapes faint pineapple with a bitter grapefruit with very faint hoppy ands strong notes with a nice fruity finish and an aftertaste of similar fruits with a full mouthfeel. Overall this is not a strong taste as it would suggest but it’s up there and it is smoother for double IPA and getting a B- here. It has a strong flavor hitting the back of the mouth and that holds it’s no higher than B-. Would I have this again? Yes but not right after the first one, then your mouth would be wrecked and everything would taste the same. But I would recommend Southern Pines Brewing Company Reverse Nostalgia New England DIPA. It’s was good for a strong DIPA. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Burial Beer Co Bloodtusk Kellerbier Lager

Posted on by Evan

Burial Beer Co. Bloodtusk Kellerbier Lager, 5.1% ABV purchased from Pop the Top Bottle Shop locally here in Charlotte, NC is a brewed in the traditional cell beer style or traditional lagering which is done at cold temperatures. Burial Beer Co. Bloodtusk Kellerbier Lager pours a semi-hazy yellow color with a two finger white rocky head giving off biscuity aroma with a little sweetness that trails into a biscuit sweet flavor with a very faint bitter note hitting the back of the mouth with a flavorful semi-sweet finish and a full lager biscuit sweet aftertaste that lingers for a short moment and fades all with a medium smooth mouthfeel. Burial Beer Co. Bloodtusk Kellerbier Lager is a good rendition of a German Kellerbier Lager and is an A-. I found Bloodtusk to be good and close to being as good as the more traditional German Kellerbiers, they tend to have bolder flavors to them, but Burial Beer Co. Bloodtusk Kellerbier Lager was almost as good and one that I recommend trying and one that I will definitely go back to. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Throwback Thursday: Rahr & Sons Brewing Ugly Pug Black Lager

Posted on by Evan

Originally posted on December 2nd, 2011.

Howdy! Another beer review here on this cold day in December. Well, this is another beer from Texas brought to me from Aunt over Thanksgiving. This brewery is down in East Texas, Fort Worth. This is a schwarzbier, black beer, or black lager. I’ve not had black lager before, at least I don’t think I have. The Ugly Pug story goes like this, Fritz Rahr once saw Oscar, his mother-in-law’s dog and shouted, “What an ugly pug!” I don’t know how that relates to a beer but maybe Fritz has his reason for name his black lager that. Ugly Pug pours a nice black color as it says on the bottle. If you don’t know that then I suggest you ask for help. It has a semi-thick white foamy yet creamy head. It looks interesting at this point, so now you sip. When you first partake of this you get a light mouthfeel of very faint coffee and a very light taste of malted caramel. When the aftertaste hits you get a tiny little sour bite of caramel candy. This is not heavy like a stout or porter. It’s a lager beer, therefore, it is lighter. You should know that. Remember that from now on, that will be helpful when buying beer. This one is good. I don’t know much about Rahr & Sons. But I am finding more info about it. I would like to buy this again. I thought it was good, not a WOW GREAT, but a solid good, a buy it again good, tell few of my friends kind of good. You to should try this one. Keep your eyes and ears open to the news here in N.C. about the changes coming regarding the brewing laws. It will be SO AWESOME!! Cheers! Please drink responsibly!

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

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

  • Thursday, January 24th. Canned Beer Appreciation Day. Carolina Beer Temple. 12 pm-11:30 pm. Tickets at Eventbrite.com. In November of 1933, preparing for the upcoming repeal of Prohibition, Gottfried Krueger Brewing produced the first beer ever packaged in cans. Now, more than eight decades later, the idea of so many of our favorite beers not being available in cans is absolutely unthinkable. So help us celebrate the humble beer can in the only way we know how: by drinking its contents! All day we will be offering 20% off of any canned beer in the store. That’s right, no matter the beer, the brewer, or the style, all canned beer will be 20% off! We will also be waving any corkage fees for canned beer consumed on-premise for the entire day. After all, doesn’t canned beer deserve a little respect and admiration?

 

  • Thursday, January 24th. All Dogged Up at GoodRoad Ciderworks. 5 pm-7 pm. Join All Dogged Up EVERY Thursday night from 5 pm-7 pm at Good Road Ciderworks for grooming services provided in our grooming truck parked on-site. The following services available on a first come basis:
    -Bath/Nails for dogs under 60 lbs-$20
    -Bath/Nails for dogs over 60 lbs-$26
    -Nails only $12

    *Friendly reminder: please tip your groomer!
    NOTE: due to health department code, our canine friends must remain on the patio.

 

  • Friday, January 25th. Ry Smile Pilot Batch Release. Triple C Brewing Company. 4 pm-10 pm. The rustic, spicy character of the rye malt makes this pale ale something special. Balanced with Chinook and Citra hops, adding citrus and pine flavors.
  • Friday, January 25th. Beer Release: Blueway Keller Pils. Blue Blaze Brewing. The first-time release of Blueway Keller Pils (5.4%) in a super small batch on draught only. This golden, unfiltered German-style pilsner is so refreshing and tasty finishing up with a mild, zippy hoppiness from the noble hops. It’s .. ahem .. a killer pils!
    We’ll have local food truck A Taste of Culture at 5pm.

    What’s in a name? A blueway is a water trail for outdoor recreationalists, such as kayakers.

    Swing by the taproom from 2:00 – 10:00 for a pint!

    (With super limited quantities, please no pitchers or growlers. Thank you!)

 

  • Friday, January 25th. Captain Peanut Butter’s Chocolate Revenge Release. NoDa Brewing Co. 2 pm-10 pm. A big, malty and smooth Imperial Porter brewed with a massive load of cocoa nibs to give dark chocolate notes and roasted peanut butter to add a rich twist to this imposing dark beer.

    Join us as we open early to kick off the chance to get this deliciously rich brew! Plus, while you’re here, enjoy grub from TIN Kitchen!

 

  • Saturday, January 26th. Breakfast in Heaven – Can Release. Lenny Boy Brewing Co. 11 am-11 pm. We finally packaged our annual BBA stout – Breakfast in Heaven. Little different format, 12oz 4-packs cans for $14.99. Sales start at 11am in the Taproom.

    Breakfast in Heaven is a Barrel Aged Imperial Stout aged in Heaven Hills barrels with Madagascar vanilla beans, Counter Culture Coffee, cacao nibs, and lactose. 10% ABV. This bourbon barrel beer combines careful blending and proper aging to create a complex, enjoyable beer. The Imperial Stout base is thick and creamy – great flavors of vanilla and chocolate with subtle notes of dark fruit. 

 

  • Saturday, January 26th. Cajun Stout Release. Triple C Brewing Company. 12 pm- 10 pm. Cajun Stout is a robust stout brewed with dark malts and a hint of cayenne pepper! Draft and crowler/growerls fills.

    New Wrap Order Food Truck on site. Pluto for Planet will be jamming in the taproom from 5-8.

 

  • Sunday, January 27th. Discovery Place Bug Lab comes to Birdsong! Birdsong Brewing Co. 12 pm-3 pm. This one’s for the kids but don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of delicious beer for the adults!

    We’re excited to welcome Discovery Place Science back to Birdsong for some family fun w/ their Bug Lab mobile exhibit! d Beer
    The event is free and will be on 1/27/19 from 12p-3p! Here are some examples of the activities we’ve got planned:

    • Try eating edible crickets in fun flavors like cheesy ranch and get a “certified bug eater” button!
    • Color a bug coloring sheet!
    • Get a temporary bug tattoo!
    • Get crafty and make a bug bookmark!
    • Pop-up photo op!

 

  • Sunday, January 27th. Service industry Sundays. Wooden Robot Brewery. 12 pm-9 pm. To show our appreciation for our friends in the biz, we are throwin’ down every Sunday with $1 off all 10 oz. pours & throwback tunes with your favorite WRB beertenders!
    Come party like its Saturday Night for Service Industry Sundays at the Bot!

 

  • Tuesday, January 29th. Modern Tims/Lord Hob Takeover. Salud Beer Shop. 5 pm-10 pm. Join us as we feature some of the best breweries in the country Modern Times of San Diego, CA and Lord Hobo Of Massachusetts. We’re featuring some tasty brews on draft and package.

 

  • Tuesday, January 29th. Sierra Nevada Event! Duckworth Grill & Taphouse Uptown. 6 pm-8 pm. Sierra Nevada swag giveaways and free beer samples!

    Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Resilience IPA, Sierra Nevada’s brand new Brut IPA & Sierraveza will be on tap all month. Come getcha some!

Birdsong Brewing Company Honey Pie Double IPA

Posted on by Evan

Birdsong Brewing Company Honey Pie Double IPA, 8.9% ABV which I picked up from the local Harris Teeter grocery store. Honey Pie Double IPA is brewed with local North Carolina harvested Cloister Honey, and pours a deep orange color with a slightly off white two finger head that does leave behind fluffy lacing, giving you sweet malted notes of bitter grapefruit, orange and some honeydew melon that then take you to a big sweet malted bitterness of some orange, grapefruit and some honeydew with a sizable honey flavor note that follows, with a bittersweet finish and a bitter melon grapefruit aftertaste that is lingering with a booziness and a full mouthfeel. I was going into Honey Pie Double IPA with good expectations and I have come to the conclusion that it was too much and I didn’t find this beer as good as I was hoping, so I say it deserves a D. I think the honey and the bitterness combined to really wallop you with bitterness but the sweetness does keep Honey Pie Double IPA from being the worst beer and I actually like most beers from Birdsong Brewing especially their IPAs. But this Birdsong Brewing Company Honey Pie Double IPA just wasn’t one Birdsong IPA I liked. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Willmington Brewing Company Seasonal Bartender Tropical Milkshake India Pale Ale

Posted on by Evan

Willmington Brewing Company Seasonal Bartender Tropical Milkshake India Pale Ale, 7.8% ABV purchased locally from Pop the Top Bottle Shop is brewed with Pale malts, flaked wheat, oats Carapils, Lactose sugar, Azacca, and Chinook hops, dry hopped first with Ekuanot then dry hopped with Mosaic and Amarillo. Seasonal Bartender is brewed with guavas, pineapples and mangos in Willmington, North Carolina and pours an hazy yellow orange juice color with a two finger off white heads that slowly fades into wonderful lacing giving off sweet juicy tropical fruit notes with a slight cream scent that take you to a sweet juicy flavor with touches of bitterness and some creamy notes with a nice cream bitter juicy fruit finish and a similar aftertaste that linger a bit with a creamy medium mouthfeel. This Milkshake IPA is a relatively (2-3 years) new fad within craft beer and one that is slowly growing within. The whole IPA style and Willmington Brewing Company Seasonal Bartender Tropical Milkshake India Pale is a good beer, getting an A here. I find that the lactose does cut back some the hop bitterness so that isn’t a bitter punch in the face but at the same time, it not keeping and bitterness away from your taste buds. The lactose also brings out a sweetness within the fruity flavors adding a new layer of cream bittersweetness. Willmington Brewing Company Seasonal Bartender Tropical Milkshake India Pale is a beer that I recommend but not something that you can have more than two pints of seeing how the flavor is a bit stronger than some beers, but otherwise a great beer! Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

The Beer News

Posted on by Evan

here are this week’s news happing in the Charlotte, North Carolina area.

  • Thursday, January 17th. Sierra Nevada Event!Duckworth’s Grill & Taphouse Ballantyne. 6 pm-8 pm. Sierra Nevada swag giveaways and free beer samples!

    Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Resilience IPA, Sierra Nevada’s brand new Brut IPA & Sierraveza will be on tap all month. Come getcha some!

 

  • Thursday, January 17th. India Pale Lager Release. Catawba Brewing Co. Charlotte. 3 pm -10 pm. It’s week #3 of the passport program and we’re hopping over the lighter side of things! Get it? “Hopping?”… Well, even if you don’t get our cheesy dad joke, you’ll still love this smooth and slightly hoppy India Pale Lager. Stop by your local Catawba tasting room for a pint and the password!

 

  • Friday, January 18th. Small Batch Release. Ced Clay Ciderworks. 3 pm-11 pm. This month’s small batch is a play on the classic drink, Gin & Juice; juniper, coriander, OJ and lime semi-dry.

 

  • Friday, January 18th, NoDable Release: Dr. Juice’s Hops on Pop. 3 pm-10 pm. Each month, we release several brand new brews as part of our “NoDable” Series on Fridays. This week’s brew is our Dr. Juice’s Hops on Pop. A Juicy IPA brewed with Citra, Mosaic and Summit hops, making it a hoppy and citrus forward beer. We’re thrilled to note that the malt in this brew comes from two local NC companies. The base grain is a 2-Row grain — called Carolina Gold — from Carolina Malt House, Inc. (grown just 30 miles from our brewery)! Additionally, this brew utilizes Epiphany Wheat malt from Epiphany Craft Malt.

    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!

 

  • Saturday, January 19th. Lenny Boy Raw Bar “Pop-Up”. Lenny Boy Brewing Co. 3 pm-5 pm. Join The Waterman at Lenny Boy Brewing Co. for a FREE Raw Bar “Pop-Up” on Saturday, January 19th from 3pm-?

    Enjoy FREE Oysters on the half shell (till they run out) from The Waterman, delicious craft beer and kombucha from Lenny Boy.

    We will have live music from Ezra Root, tons of swag and giveaways!

    Pepperbox Doughnuts and Glory Days Apparel will also be onsite from 3-6pm!

    Tag a friend, mark your calendar, and prepare for a great time!

 

  • Saturday, January 19th. Beer Garden Brew Pup Day! Sycamore Brewing. 12 pm-10 pm.
    Bring your pups, your family and friends and join us for our first Beer Garden Brew Pup Day! We’ll have dog merchandise and treats from local vendors, $1 off your first beer if you bring your pup, free dog toys with any pint of Sycamore Beer purchased, Live music, Gyro Twins Truck and more!🍻🐶

    Take a photo of your pup using #BeerGardenBrewPup in the Sycamore Beer Garden for a chance to win a $50 Sycamore Gift Card!🎉

  • Sunday, January 20th. Sugar Creek Raw Bar “Pop-Up”. Sugar Creek Brewing. 4 pm-6 pm. Join The Waterman at Sugar Creek Brewing for a FREE Raw Bar “Pop-Up” on Sunday, January 20th from 4-6PM.

    Enjoy FREE Oysters on the half shell (till they run out) from The Waterman, delicious brews from Sugar Creek, games, swag, and giveaways!

    Tag a friend, mark your calendar, and prepare for a great time!

 

  • Sunday, January 20th. Bots N’ Beans Chilli Cook-Off. Wooden Robot Brewery. 1 pm-3 pm.
    Bring on the Beans! Join us for our 1st Chili Cook-Off on Sunday 01.20.19! Sample various Chili recipes and cast your vote for the best! Every medium and large Beer purchase gets you a ticket to cast a vote! One winner will receive a gift basket worth over $100 of WRB merch, gift cards, and prizes from your favorite local spots!
    Think your Chili has what it takes to win the competition? Submit the form – – – > http://bit.ly/2R8MbCG

    This is a FREE EVENT!
    $1 off all Medium Brews ALL DAY LONG.

    #BeansNBots Come Party!

  • Monday, January 21st. Beer and Chocolate Pairing with Potts Chocolate. Pilot Brewing. 5 pm-8 pm. Why do beer and chocolate go so well together? One reason is that they share two fundamental flavors — bitter and sweet. With beer the bitterness comes from hops — this flower is one of beer’s basic ingredients; and the sweetness is derived from natural sugars in the malted cereal, which is another one of the ingredients. But beer is more than just bitter or sweet. Spice, vanilla, caramel, fruit, smoke, coffee, nuts, citrus, and floral are amongst the hundreds of flavors that tasting experts have noted in beer.

    Join Pilot as we team up with Potts Chocolate to guide you through a world of chocolate and beer. Through a pairing of four beers and four chocolates, learn how chocolate is a champion at coating the mouth, and how beer is very efficient at cleansing the palate at the same time as complementing or contrasting flavors.

    Guided by our Certified Cicerone®, Rachael Hudson, and Chocolatier of Potts Chocolate, Blair Potts. Did you know that Blair Potts was one of the original founders of the first craft brewery in Connecticut? There is no better pair to lead you through the craft chocolate and beer world.

    Please visit Pilot Brewing, or call, to purchase your ticket today!

    Two sessions will happen at 5pm and 7pm. Seats are limited to 15 per sessions. Tickets are $20.

Burial Beer Co. The Prayer Belgian Blonde With Apricots

Posted on by Evan

Burial Beer Co. The Prayer Belgian Blonde with Apricots, 6.2% ABV from Asheville North Carolina which I purchased here in Charlotte from Pop the Top Bottle Shop, this beer uses raw wheat from Carolina Ground and more than 800 pounds of Apricots to brew this Belgian Blonde. The Prayer Belgian Blonde with Apricots pours a medium and somewhat murky orange color with a two finger wheat head that steadily fades into itself with decent lacing left throughout the glass giving off slightly sharp fruity tart aromas with some sour notes that lead into a crisp, tart, fruity, sour taste with some sweet touches coming through with a yeast note on the back of the mouth with a tart fruited somewhat light sour finish and a tart apricot aftertaste that linger with a bit of a tart sweet and sour vibe to it with a medium mouthfeel. I have come to like all of Burial Beer Co. beer and this does not disappoint it is an A. Everything going on in this beer is well balanced and well brewed and as a little similarity to a light Saison beer, which they also do well. I highly recommend trying Burial Beer Co. The Prayer Belgian Blonde with Apricots it not overly tart or sour, just enough so you know that the sour/tart fruit is there. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Paring Beer and Potato Chips: Olde Mecklenburg Brewery Captain James Jack Pilsner and Quillo Jamón Ibérico Spanish Ham

Posted on by Evan

This is a new bi-weekly segment pairing a different beer with different potato chips. I have this week paired Quillo Chips Jamón Ibérico Spanish Ham flavor with Olde Mecklenburg Brewery Captain James Jack Pilsner, 4.8% ABV. Captain James Jack Pilsner is a German-style Pilsner from Charlotte North Carolina and this style of beer pairs well with both Spanish style Ham and potato chips. Quillo Chips from Sevilla Spain are yellow with crispy toasted edges with a big Somme aroma with some saltiness with a smoky, salty crispy flavor that pairs well with the crisp Pilsner beer of Captain James Jack. Captain James Jack Pilsner washes some of the smoky flavors out leaving a mild salted note and as the crisp Pilsner hits the back of the throat the smoky flavor rises back and continues on with the crisp finish of Captain James Jack Pilsner and the same for the aftertaste with a salted smoked ham aftertaste. Overall Quillo Chips Jamón Ibérico Spanish Ham flavor are good chips with a nice complement of smoky ham flavor to the salty chip and with Olde Mecklenburg Brewery Captain James Jack Pilsner it really pairs well with it because Jamón Ibérico Spanish Ham can be paired with any good Pilsner beer, the Pilsner doesn’t overpower the hams smoky flavor and compliments the crispy salted flavor. Quillo Chips Jamón Ibérico Spanish Ham flavor is an A grade chip and paired with Olde Mecklenburg Brewery Captain James Jack Pilsner make this pairing a B+. Solid paring but this Pilsner does take away from the smokey ham flavor in the middle but does come back on the end and aftertaste keep this pairings grade relatively high. This new segment will return in two weeks with another Pairing, Beer, and Chips. Cheer! Please enjoy responsibly!

Birdsong Brewing Co. Good Feeling Fruited Kettle Sour

Posted on by Evan

Picked up Birdsong Brewing Co. Good Feeling Fruited Kettle Sour, 5.6% ABV from Pop the Top Bottle Shop here in Charlotte, North Carolina. Birdsong Brewing Co. Good Feeling Fruited Kettle Sour is brewed with cranberries and oranges, pours a light orange color with a one finger fizzy quickly fading white head that gives off tart fruity aromas with a bit of a sweetness hitting your nose that then takes you to a tart, sweet orange flavor with some nice tart candy like flavors with hints of a bit of sourness with a fruity tart semi sweet finish and a orange and faint cranberry after taste with a bit of sourness with a light mouthfeel. Birdsong Brewing Co. Good Feeling Fruited Kettle Sour overall is a good sour beer I don’t get to much of the cranberries but I g et more orange off this beer. I’d say that this Birdsong Brewing Co. Good Feeling Fruited Kettle Sour is an B+, it has a lot of similarities to most of the kettle sour beers out now but it still a good beer, but it just taste like a good sour beer nothing really outstanding with this beer but very good non the less. It is however a beer that I recommend you should try and one that I would definitely have again and could probably drink a few in one sitting. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!