Tim hosted a brew and barbecue yesterday and it was fantastic. Just what I needed after a long week of work (that was topped off by 8 more hours on Saturday). I had an opportunity to meet some of the other Brewsquito's after missing the first official meeting. It's nice to talk to people about beer on the same level you enjoy it once in a while. Usually I just watch my friends eyes glaze over when I start.
I had a chance to try Steve and Jason's excellent Oatmeal Stout. Coffee, roasted barley, a little bit of chocolate. No hop aroma and just enough bitterness to keep it from tasting like chocolate milk! They will definitely be entering that in to Siciliano's competition. I traded Tim a Jet Pack Irish Red for one of his stouts too. I love that beer! Using a gift card from my birthday I was able to purchase some Kentucky Breakfast from Founder's and we had one of those as well as some other great beers.
The barbecue was incredible courtesy of Jerry. Those who didn't stick around missed out on some truly great ribs. The carnitas and jalapeno poppers were awesome too. I want to learn a few things from Jerry this summer hopefully and do some slow cooking of my own. Nothing like good barbecue with good food.
After talking with a few of our fellow club members Kevin and I are very excited to retry a couple of recipes and hit the color marks better. We've been doing a lot of research this week and think we can better hit our carbonation marks and flavor marks as well. Some new information about hopping has led us to believe we may be a little light in our previous attempts. I think we'll brew this week and if so I'll definitely post. Until next time.
Respect beer. Drink only the exceptional.
-Mike
21 March, 2010
14 March, 2010
A Brewery Birthday
Let me just say that spending the day going to different breweries and tasting great beers is the perfect way to spend a 28th birthday, or any birthday (21 and over of course). Meg and I had the good fortune to spend the day in Traverse City, MI and check out three great Michigan breweries. In addition to the beer we had a chance to have some good food too.
North Peak Brewing Company (who happens to be a sister of Jolly Pumpkin) was first on the list. We started out with a flight of 5 beers to get a feel for what they had to offer. Of note were Sally's Irish Stout (a smooth nitro stout) and the Porter. Their take on the American Pale was also a good one. Meg settled on a pint of that while I checked out they're cask conditioned chocolate stout. Room temperature and wonderful. I also gave a try to their 6th tap which was a Belgian Dark Ale. The Belgians are growing on me. If you stop there, try the White Cheddar Ale soup and get some of their wings made with a Cherry Ale barbecue sauce.
Next was Mackinaw Brewing company. Meg had a cherry mead and I tried their nut brown ale. For sustenance we tried their smoked meat platter. It included portions of brisket, ribs and sausage, all with their house barbecue sauce. This was an awesome seventh inning stretch. Barbecue and beer, mmmmmmm.
Last on the list for the day was Right Brain Brewery. It's located in a larger office complex that's rented out by a hair salon, a lawyer and some others. They brew in one large room and have the taproom in another. This was by far our favorite. Meg did a six beer sampler (six ounce pours here people!) and I went straight for the IPA aged with California grapefruit peels. Of note on the sampler was their Belgian Trippel (it was hoppy as hell, so I loved it), Distill My Heart Bourbon Stout and their Black Orchid Vanilla Baltic Porter. I also thoroughly enjoyed my pint of their Triple Hopped IPA that was not technically on tap yet. Thanks to Gavin for setting me up with that one after talking about being hop heads.
All in all it was a great time and I can't wait to get back up there again to sample more. We look forward to going to Shorts too some time this year up in Bel-Air. Until next time.
Respect beer. Drink only the exceptional.
-Mike
North Peak Brewing Company (who happens to be a sister of Jolly Pumpkin) was first on the list. We started out with a flight of 5 beers to get a feel for what they had to offer. Of note were Sally's Irish Stout (a smooth nitro stout) and the Porter. Their take on the American Pale was also a good one. Meg settled on a pint of that while I checked out they're cask conditioned chocolate stout. Room temperature and wonderful. I also gave a try to their 6th tap which was a Belgian Dark Ale. The Belgians are growing on me. If you stop there, try the White Cheddar Ale soup and get some of their wings made with a Cherry Ale barbecue sauce.
Next was Mackinaw Brewing company. Meg had a cherry mead and I tried their nut brown ale. For sustenance we tried their smoked meat platter. It included portions of brisket, ribs and sausage, all with their house barbecue sauce. This was an awesome seventh inning stretch. Barbecue and beer, mmmmmmm.
Last on the list for the day was Right Brain Brewery. It's located in a larger office complex that's rented out by a hair salon, a lawyer and some others. They brew in one large room and have the taproom in another. This was by far our favorite. Meg did a six beer sampler (six ounce pours here people!) and I went straight for the IPA aged with California grapefruit peels. Of note on the sampler was their Belgian Trippel (it was hoppy as hell, so I loved it), Distill My Heart Bourbon Stout and their Black Orchid Vanilla Baltic Porter. I also thoroughly enjoyed my pint of their Triple Hopped IPA that was not technically on tap yet. Thanks to Gavin for setting me up with that one after talking about being hop heads.
All in all it was a great time and I can't wait to get back up there again to sample more. We look forward to going to Shorts too some time this year up in Bel-Air. Until next time.
Respect beer. Drink only the exceptional.
-Mike
12 March, 2010
Just an aside
After reviewing (and thorougly enjoying) my pint of South Island IPA last night, a woman and her husband stepped up to the bar next to me. The husband ordered a Pale Ale and then the following conversation between the woman and the bartender ensued.
Woman: Do you have anything like Corona?
Bartender: Ummm, no. We don't have anything like Corona.
Woman: [visibly flustered, body language changes to closed] Well what do you have that's light?
Bartender: [smiling and in a nice warm tone] We have Solid Gold, that's our extra Pale Ale.
Woman: [begins shifting her weight on her feet, now slightly irritated] So you don't have anything like Corona. Something, like, with a lime?
Bartender: [still smiling] No.
Woman: Well, then let me try the Solid Gold and the lightest dark beer you have
[The Bartender leaves to get the samples, returns with one light and one dark]
Bartender: Here you go, ma'am, our Solid Gold and our Oatmeal Stout.
Woman: [scoffing] Uh, I'll have the Solid Gold. That other one is just too dark. I already know I won't like it. [Turns to her husband] I don't know why they don't just have something like Corona with a lime.
I had to laugh. I talked with the bartender after the incident and we laughed about it. It made me think though, being an aspiring brewer with bigger dreams than my kitchen can hold, that I should hope to have customers like that some day. Maybe I can take the time to educate them and bring them on board the craft beer train.
I was once like her (before I was baptised in water infused with hops, malt and yeast) and skeptical. I think there's still a big market in customers just like her, waiting to be tapped. So patience is truly a virtue with people like this. Kudo's to the bartender for getting the product in her hand and telling her how it is not too hoppy and clean in the finish. Great sell. Another point too for not apologizing for not having something like Corona. You do have to have a standard and most craft brewers set themselves above that.
She also shared with me another favorite question she receives. "Do you have domestic beer here". Now that's laughable! I said, "I don't know how much more domestic you can get. You brew it in the next room!"
[1960's sit com laugh track. Camera pulls out and fades]
Respect beer. Drink only the exceptional.
-Mike
Woman: Do you have anything like Corona?
Bartender: Ummm, no. We don't have anything like Corona.
Woman: [visibly flustered, body language changes to closed] Well what do you have that's light?
Bartender: [smiling and in a nice warm tone] We have Solid Gold, that's our extra Pale Ale.
Woman: [begins shifting her weight on her feet, now slightly irritated] So you don't have anything like Corona. Something, like, with a lime?
Bartender: [still smiling] No.
Woman: Well, then let me try the Solid Gold and the lightest dark beer you have
[The Bartender leaves to get the samples, returns with one light and one dark]
Bartender: Here you go, ma'am, our Solid Gold and our Oatmeal Stout.
Woman: [scoffing] Uh, I'll have the Solid Gold. That other one is just too dark. I already know I won't like it. [Turns to her husband] I don't know why they don't just have something like Corona with a lime.
I had to laugh. I talked with the bartender after the incident and we laughed about it. It made me think though, being an aspiring brewer with bigger dreams than my kitchen can hold, that I should hope to have customers like that some day. Maybe I can take the time to educate them and bring them on board the craft beer train.
I was once like her (before I was baptised in water infused with hops, malt and yeast) and skeptical. I think there's still a big market in customers just like her, waiting to be tapped. So patience is truly a virtue with people like this. Kudo's to the bartender for getting the product in her hand and telling her how it is not too hoppy and clean in the finish. Great sell. Another point too for not apologizing for not having something like Corona. You do have to have a standard and most craft brewers set themselves above that.
She also shared with me another favorite question she receives. "Do you have domestic beer here". Now that's laughable! I said, "I don't know how much more domestic you can get. You brew it in the next room!"
[1960's sit com laugh track. Camera pulls out and fades]
Respect beer. Drink only the exceptional.
-Mike
11 March, 2010
Founder's South Island IPA
Got a message from my favorite Facebook friend Founder's Brewing today announcing the release of a tap room only IPA called South Island IPA. I couldn't resist a chance to try my favorite style at my favorite brewery so I decided to try one. It's brewed only with hops from the southern island of New Zealand which makes it unique.
Appearance: Rich copper in color with a good finger of head. Nice and clear. As I look at my half full pint I see lacing reminding me of great tastes gone by.
Aroma: Peppery and citrus with a small hint of the malt sweetness. Hops prevail though in this one.
Taste: Immediately bitter with citrus and pepper. I'm told that's the pacific jade hop. Just enough malt to remind you it's there but this one is all the way bitter. At 60 IBU it's most certainly an IPA.
Mouthfeel. Wet and then dry. Those who love hops know what I'm talking about. It's refeahing and bitter and leaves the mouth a bit warm with alcohol.
Bottom line this is a good one for me. I'll be back for more. Hell, with the release of Kentucky Breakfast on Saturday I'll be back sooner than later! Until next time.
Respect Beer. Drink only the exceptional.
-Mike
Appearance: Rich copper in color with a good finger of head. Nice and clear. As I look at my half full pint I see lacing reminding me of great tastes gone by.
Aroma: Peppery and citrus with a small hint of the malt sweetness. Hops prevail though in this one.
Taste: Immediately bitter with citrus and pepper. I'm told that's the pacific jade hop. Just enough malt to remind you it's there but this one is all the way bitter. At 60 IBU it's most certainly an IPA.
Mouthfeel. Wet and then dry. Those who love hops know what I'm talking about. It's refeahing and bitter and leaves the mouth a bit warm with alcohol.
Bottom line this is a good one for me. I'll be back for more. Hell, with the release of Kentucky Breakfast on Saturday I'll be back sooner than later! Until next time.
Respect Beer. Drink only the exceptional.
-Mike
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