I first heard of Nebraska through Angela Arp, the wife of one their brewers, Tyson Arp.  Angela is all over twitter promoting Nebraska Brewing, craft beer and supporting others craft brewers in the U.S. A look at their website instantly warm comes out. The bio’s of each brewer read as if it was someone you knew personally. Their website has this to say “Located in Papillion’s hoppin’ Shadow Lake Town Centre, Nebraska Brewing Company is a relaxed dining destination complemented by incredible, fresh handcrafted ales. Locally owned and operated, it’s our aim to share our passion for beer and food with everyone who walks through the door. When your stomach’s growling and you’re feelin’ parched, head to Nebraska Brewing Company for casual American fare, a full bar, and a great time. Our knowledgeable staff will assist you in creating the perfect beer and food combination.  Oh, and on your way out, be sure to grab a growler of one (or two) of our fine ales.”

I have been fortunate to have a fair amount of contact with Angela through twitter, her husband Tyson and Paul Kavulak co-owner and brewer. With all the buzz and hubbub on the web and from friends in the beer world, I had to try some. Unfortunately, they are not yet available in Texas. Fortunately, I was able to procure some and so far, they have not disappointed.

I spoke with Paul for a bit to what her could tell me about Nebraska Brewing, that isn’t on their website. After all, they’ve won an award or two already. Paul had this to say:

‘Nebraska Brewing Company is a brewpub located in Papillion, NE and was started by the Husband & Wife team of Paul & Kim Kavulak.

Born of a deep-rooted passion in all things Craft Beer, Nebraska Brewing Company opened its doors in late 2007.  An American Casual menu keeps pace with the seasons and works to provide excellent pairings for many of our craft Ales.

Our Brewer Tyson Arp works very hard to ensure that our Craft Beers are among the best the No-Coast has to offer.  Each and every beer produced at Nebraska Brewing Company is truly unique and stands as a great example of the targeted style.  Our beers exist to please the aficionado and stretch the minds of our diners.

The barrel aging program was begun almost immediately and exists to satisfy our desire to take remarkable base beers and make them something more.  Toasted & charred oak from wineries and craft distilleries form the backdrop for adding character, aromatics, and flavors only found through time and patience.

Nebraska Brewing Company is currently distributed in Nebraska and Iowa only but is also exploring distribution in areas with a strong desire for excellent craft beers.

With the beer, a personal goal has always been to have people who truly understand wonderfully crafted beers wake up one day and say “Hey, there’s something really great going on in Nebraska”.  We work hard every day to make that happen…’.

Suffice to say, that when in Nebraska, I’ll be stopping by! But I digress, on to the beer!

This one falls into the Russian imperial Stout category. Historically, touts are originally British in origin, with some hailing from the Emerald Isle as well. American stouts deviate a little by having a little more hopped up character and these days like to have their morning coffee while being brewed.  Hops range in variety, as well as the amount of bitter taste and often a roasted malt flavor. Imperial Stouts tend to be much higher in alcohol, lots of malt with big chocolate and roasted character. Often a bit of fruit can be found as well.

Betty sure was something special

Paul gave a little background on the Black Betty himself ”

Black Betty is a Russian Imperial Stout that Tyson created in his desire to turn out something big, bold and flavorful which would make Stout drinkers smile a little more broadly than usual.  The base beer won a Silver Medal in the 2009 US Open Beer Championships as Nebraskan Imperial Stout before the barrel-aged version (Black Betty) ever saw the light of day.  During a distillery tour of Stranahan’s Whiskey, the mental note was filed away to find some really cool beers to marry up with the essence of their spirit.  2 beers – this RIS and a Barley Wine made their way into used Stranahan’s barrels where they spent 6 months aging and picking up a wonderfully sweet nose, dryness from the oak tannins, and a subtle whiskey note in the taste.  We believe that both of these beers continue the entire Reserve Series in a fashion that continues to escalate and reward Craft Beer creativity.  Black Betty & Fathead join our first Reserve Series Beer – Chardonnay Blonde.  The bar has been set.”

I poured this one into a tulip glass. Pours a very deep mahogany into a tulip glass. There’s no seeing through this one. Carbonation is good, kind of what you’d expect from an imperial stout producing a slow carbonation that lends to a nice thin, but sustainable head with a beautiful lacing that clings to the glass for dear life. The bubbles just seemed to float to the top.

When I bring this one closer, a rich chocolate aroma comes forth. Hints of caramel and coffee as well. Another sniff and I get a strong hint of Raspberry and a little banana as well.

After swirling it around a little to bring the carbonation back to life, I took a taste. Wow. The raspberry and banana I smelled came out in abundance, scented nicely by a very distinct whiskey flavor. The chocolate is definitely there, but all these other flavors take center stage. A fair amount of roasted malt comes out with another taste, showing the complexity of this stout.

Mouthfeel is what I’d expect from and RIS. Heavy, full of substance, yet a crispness that speaks hops all over.

Overall, one of the best Imperial Stouts I’ve ever had. Weighs in at 9.3% ABV, so I sipped this one while enjoying some ravioli with my homemade sauce and carrot cake for dessert.

Located in a restored two story 1890′s building (to historical standards) the first floor of this building houses the restaurant and the copper and stainless brewing equipment. In the back, is housed the German style biergarten (typical for this area of Texas). They have also had their fare share of awards, to include being “..recognized in the Munchner-Style Helles beer-style category for its Hauptstrasse Helles (Mainstreet Light).  Rick Green, Master Brewer and Alton Huebner, assistant brewer describe their winning beer as  “Our lightest lager which is pale-golden, delicate, and mild.  A light, Bavarian Style Lager of the type made famous in the bier halls of Munich”. The 2008 Great American Beer Festival Competition winners were selected by an International panel of brewing experts from an impressive field of 2,335 entries.  More than 1,200 breweries were invited to compete.  “The Great American Beer Festival is the premier judging event for the American Craft beer industry”, says Nancy Johnson, Festival Director.  Being chosen a winner is truly an accomplishment”.

There’s also a little more for those willing to hang around for more than a few hours. The second floor has a cute little  Bed and Breakfast.  The second floor has twelve rooms, each with a different and unique Texas theme.

If I had to pick, and I do, I’d throw this one into the Winter Warmer category. Although a little hoppier than most Warmers, most warmers are malty and a little sweet. Color is often brownish red to very dark. Not a lot of hops usually, but often a lot of alcohol warmth. English versions are not often spiced,  those that are spiced,usually blend ales with spices and hops. American warmers many have a hops bitterness.  Sierra Nevada Celebration is a good example.

Poured into a pint glass, the appearance is that a rich, deep, caramel. Poured slowly, the carbonation trickled to the top leaving a a one finger head.

Aroma is all hops on this winter warmer. Faint smell of caramel. Very hoppy and a nice floral aroma. The aroma has bite!

The first taste said it all. Hops, hops and more hops. On the second taste the caramel comes out, complimenting the strong hops and balancing out the flavors. The Chinook and simcoe hops thrown in seem to give it the bite that comes out strong.

Mouthfeel is nice. Crisp, yet with a little heaviness to it that you’d expect from a warmer.

Had this with a nice homemade apple strudel, with paired well. Weighing in at 8.2% ABV it allows you to have another..

As they can say it best, I’ll let Dogfish Head tell the tale  “Life & Limb is a collaborative effort, the brainchild of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. Life & Limb is a 10% ABV strong, dark beer that defies style characteristics- brewed with pure maple syrup from the Calagione family farm in Massachusetts and estate barley grown on the Grossman “farm” at the brewery in Chico, CA. The beer is alive with yeast-a blend of both breweries’ house strains-bottle conditioned for added complexity and shelf life, and naturally carbonated with birch syrup fresh from Alaska.

Life & Limb is dedicated to the family of beer drinkers and enthusiasts worldwide who continue to support the little guys, iconoclasts, entrepreneurs, and pioneers who risk life and limb to shape the vibrant craft-brewing community.

The other beer of this collaboration is Limb & Life (draft only). Both beers will be released later this fall.”

Dogfish Head has long been know for their cavalier attitude and adventuresome spirit toward brewing, and Sierra Nevada is an icon and credited by some as sparking the craft beer movement in the late 70′s and early 80′s. Combine the two and you have Life and Limb.

This unique beer pours a very deep brown with rich accents a ruby red when held up to the light. I poured this one into a goblet, producing a half finger head, that sustained itself during the duration of the experience. While it just sat there, the bubbles continued to swim there way to the top of my glass. A good start to be sure..

Take one whiff, and instantly you instantly get the alcohol aroma. Almost overwhelming in fact. however, another sniff and you get roasted malt. Both breweries states it’s brewed with maple and birch syrup, however in the smell I don’t get any. What I do get is other flavors, such as some spice, fig and dates.

To taste this one, is divine. Although the alcohol I originally smelled is still at the forefront, the more subtle flavors now creep in. The fig and dates definitely come out. A few more sips, I seem to taste the maple syrup described. Either that’s because it’s actually there, or I want it to be.  What I definitely get, is a nice hop undertone that seems to balance the alcohol in this one out.

The mouthfeel is what I’d expect from an American Strong Ale. Although this is almost a ‘catch all’ category for stronger American beers, it seems to do what it should. A crisp, yet slightly sticky feel to i, it is creamy and definitely a full beer.

Overall, I really like this one. I admit, that I had it straight out of the bottle the day after purchase, but it was divine. I still feel that the alcohol is a bit overpowering initially and on the back end, but I’ll have more of this one. It weighs in at 10.2% ABV, so take your time with it. Not a session beer, but one to enjoy when the time is right. I enjoyed life and Limb with a modest portion of Buttered Pecan ice cream.

All we are is just another tap on the wall

Everyone knows The Bull and Finch Pub in Boston (known as ‘Cheers’ on T.V.) as the place ‘Where everybody knows your name’. To me, that is an essential ingredient in any  place you frequent, visit once, or always hope to get to. For years living in San Antonio there was a drought for a place where you could get more than the average beer served at the ‘insert your name here’ bar on the corner. Sure, one or two places pop up here and there, but they do not have the overall atmosphere and selection that many craft beer bars on the west coast, east coast and Colorado have. Namely, an incredible selection of what many refer to as craft beer bars. Places that serve beer for those with a more refined taste of our favorite malted beverage.

Craft beer has gained quite the following in the last few years, with breweries, brew pubs and beer bars popping up everywhere.  The last decade has seen quite a lot. San Antonio and Texas have long been known for the Alamo, John Wayne and drinkers of Miller Lite, and not for craft beer. Well, times have changed. Texas has around 9 craft breweries, numerous more brewpubs and a growing number of what are known as craft beer bars.

Slowly, Texas and San Antonio have begun to come around.

Up until that point, there were few choices and frankly I was tired of heading to places that had the same old choices of beer that you saw on TV. Waiting to get back home to Colorado or visit friends and family in California became a favorite pastime. I am a lover of craft beer for its attitude and creative approach. I, and others, needed something more. Well, in January of this year, Jimmie Maricle opened up The Tap Exchange Alehouse and Grill and my new oasis.

The backside of good times.

Tucked away in the northeast part of San Antonio, The Tap Exchange boasts 61 beers on tap, more than 50 in bottles, dozens of wines. Located at, 22250 Bulverde Rd, #106 (at Evans Rd.) in San Antonio, Texas, it is a place that balances a wide selection of draft and bottled beer and great pub food, with the atmosphere of a place that you can call home. This was apparent upon walking through the door, where you are always greeted warmly by the incredible staff, you are instantly greeted with a warm, inviting and obviously fun atmosphere. Having been here a few times before, I always love introducing friends who want to expand their horizons to Jimmie’s place. They are always impressed and several have come back.

Each day features something at The Tap Exchange, from Glass night on Tuesday’s where you ‘buy the beer and keep the glass’  and Geeks Who Drink Trivia night on Wednesday to all day NFL games on Sunday with many of the craft beers on special during the games. Lest we keep the kiddos out, The Tap Exchange is also VERY family friendly. Boasting a kids menu and family friendly atmosphere, it is very common to see families here both day and night. It’s a place for all types of folks with all types of needs.

However, I digress about the selection of craft beer here. The Tap Exchange also features some out of the world pub food, too. From the typical Fish and Chips, signature salads and custom burgers to Jimmie’s Baked Ziti. Oh, and least I forget the homemade beer ice cream created here as well.

What’s great about this place, is that the owner doesn’t just stay behind the bar, he very often walks around talking with every patron as if he’s known them for years. He really works to really get to know his customers and not to get repeat business, but because that is just who he is. His wife Traci, a.k.a ‘Mrs. Tap Exchange’ is often seen here milling around the room dazzling the customers as well. You may even catch a glimpse of regulars Jill, Sean, Mark, Joser and Jessica.

Jimmie taking time to talk with the customers

The staff here tends to exude Jimmie’s approach too: Amber, Billy, Karen, Roxie and Stephanie will definitely make your experience one you will want to back to have again. All this serves to create the family atmosphere that ‘Cheers’ could not begin to match.

I asked Jimmie a little about his background and how he approaches The Tap Exchange:

How did you come up with your menu selections? “Menu choices started with ‘what do I want’ and then was fine-tuned by “what can I get”.  Really wanted a broad selection of taps, covering most styles.  No matter what style of beer you like, you’re sure to find something to your liking.

“What made you open a craft beer place? “Am a big fan of beer, but didn’t have anyplace within 45 minutes of my house to get anything other than the staples (Bud Light, Dos Equis, Shiner, etc.)  Besides, doesn’t every guy want to own a bar?

“What is your experience with craft beer? “Being from CA I had the luxury of many great brewpubs and beer bars within my reach. Traci and I grew up in places like these.”

The Great Divide Brewing Company hails all the way from my home state of Colorado and my home town of Denver. Started in 1994 founder ” Brian Dunn recognized Denver’s potential to be a great beer city,. Combining his business background with his passion for beer, which was developed through his international travels and his experience as a homebrewer, he decided to start a brewery. He set up shop in an abandoned dairy-processing plant at the edge of downtown Denver and began brewing the beers that would eventually carry Great Divide Brewing Company to its status as one of America’s most decorated microbreweries and would help transform Denver into an international destination for beer lovers. Brian Dunn’s goal was to create adventurous beers that reflect the Colorado lifestyle. He wanted to capture Denver’s urban energy and Colorado’s awe-inspiring mountains. From great session beers like DPA to massively hoppy, big beers like Hercules, Great Divide has become synonymous with progressive, balanced, assertive hand-crafted ales. ‘The excellence of our beer is the result of our unwavering commitment to both experimentation and quality. A beer like Old Ruffian would never be imagined without the former, nor would it be drinkable without the latter. We are also firmly dedicated to our community, whose support has been essential to our success, and the environment, which we depend upon for ingredients and which we have a duty to protect. In short, we’d like to think of Great Divide as an example of everything that makes Denver, and Colorado, so great.’”

Appearance is fairly typical for a porter: dark brown, cloudy and hard to see through. Hold this one up to the light, and it lets the suns rays whine through ever so gently accents what is an almost golden brown in color. Poured slowly into a pint glass, the bubbles came trickling to the top as I straightened out the glass. A decent amount of foam produced by the pesky little bubbles.

Place this one near your nose and you’re in for a treat. A deep, rich smokiness comes out. Caramel and rye malt seem to be prominent as well, highlights of chocolate and spice. A hint of hops on the nose of this one as well.

Goes down very smooth with the chocolate and spice hitting me first. The chocolate is a little sweet, giving the taste some bitterness I didn’t expect to get. Could have been the hops, but tastes more like a bittersweet chocolate. Another sip brings out the spice, subtle but it was there. Like liquid pleasure, just makes you feel good while going down, anxious for another sip.

Mouthfeel is very nice. The bubbles are perfect and leave a smooth, crisp feeling in your mouth.

Overall this is a very solid porter. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and even went out to buy more of it at the local store. Porters can be tricky in my opinion and can come out week. Not so in this case. A great beer from Great Divide and weighing in at around 5.9% ABV, this is a good session porter. This paired very well with plate of mozzarella, sourdough bread and salami I was snacking on.

It’s been almost a year since I wrote that, as well as having reviewed 4Shadow. So why review it again? It’s not quite the same beer this time around. Since their opening, Freetail has been kicking out the craft beer, kicking butt and taking names too. Named by Beeradvocate.com as the Number 1 brewpub in Texas, they haven’t slowed down a bit. Coming up on their one year anniversary, Freetail has definitely made a name for itself. Not afraid to try anything, brewer Jason Davis, has become known as the mad scientist of the Texas craft beer scene. La Muerta, their seasonal Imperial Stout, Witticus Double Rye Wit, Nacho Sancho Ancho (Their Helles style lager with Ancho pepper) are just a few of the delights that await you.

Billed as the ‘The dark harbinger of La Muerta”, this is by Freetail’s admission a Smoked Stout, with a Belgian yeast strain used. Quite unusual. Stouts in general tend to be made with roasted malts and have a coffee or chocolate character to them. Owner Scott Metgzer calls this a Smoked Stout. I certainly would agree that it has both a smokiness to it, and is definitely a stout. If it is a Smoked Stout, it’s the first I’ve seen. More closely in the American Stout category (which tend to be more creative than the English version with varying amounts of hops, burnt smokiness and chocolate), this is unique. A smoked Belgian Stout.

This was poured on tap into a pint glass at Freetail, with a nice amount of carbonation that produced a very nice, thin and sustainable head. An indication that maybe the protein in the malt used  to brew this one was under modified. Appearance is very dark, almost beckoning you into the abyss its of alluring color.

Much like last years batch, the smokiness hits you like a freight train as soon as you smell it. A second whiff gives you a nice coffee aroma with a hint of spice and chocolate.makes me want to kick back on the porch with a couple of pints, enjoy the cool Texas evening.

To taste is divine. A smoky, coffee flavor dominates. Very creamy as well, similar to last years batch, although  more predominate this time. More of a fruit taste to, banana comes at me in particular. Another taste really brings out the smoke, with a very subtle hop flavor rounding it out. Something else comes out in this, although I can’t place my taste buds on it yet..

Overall, better than the before. Weighs in around 5.5% ABV this time around. Heavy enough for my taste and allows you to have more than one if you want. Pairs very nice with ice cream and meats. In fact, I may have some with the beer burgers I plan to make soon (burger recipe courtesy of Sarah Huska).

I arrived on A Sunday night and checked into my hotel in San Diego’s historic Gas Lamp district. Soon after I head over to meet some good friends, Shanna Trenholm and Sophia Daly, for some kick butt Moroccan food at Kous Kous, fantastic conversation and some fine red wine. I know, you’re wondering when the beer with rear its wonderful head? Wait no longer dear readers, for here it comes.

Day 1
The first full day out in sunny San Diego I wandered like a vagabond around downtown and San Diego harbor. It was a gorgeous morning and my meandering landed me at the U.S.S. Midway. After a 3 hour tour, literally, I had lunch at a place I had been to numerous times as a child, Anthony’s Fish Grotto on the bay. 

Fantastic seafood, great memories, plenty of time to contemplate the intricacies of life, and yes..I had a beer. Anthony’s has a few brews of their own, so, coupled with a classic fish and chips plate that brought my childhood rushing back to me, I enjoyed a pint of their Yellowtail Pale Ale while sitting out on the wharf overlooking the ocean. A nice little Pale Ale that really went well with the fine meal I was having. After my numerous other wanderings that day (I ended up in Little Italy), I headed back for the hotel to rest up for a meet up later with Shanna, Sophia and several others at an art gallery for conversation about the world and more good wine (don’t worry dear readers, the brew really is coming..)…

Day 2

The next day I met up with a new found beer guy, Matt Dolman. You should know that Matt is somewhat of a legend in the San Diego County beer scene. I just didn’t realize how much until later. We headed out on our journey close to noon. First stop: Stone Brewing Co in Escondido.

Now I’ve been to Stone several times before, but it’s a must stop for me when in San Diego. Upon arrival I met up with the guy who updates Stone’s twitter account. I’ve spoke to him a few times on twitter, so it was great to put a name to the face. We stood in Stone’s store which is a commercial temple to all that is Stone. Shirts, glasses, jersey’s, you name..oh,  and beer of course. I grabbed a few items and then off to the bistro I went. I was fortunate in that I arrived the day after Stone’s 13th Anniversary Ale became available. I of course had a half pint of it while enjoying my Ruination IPA cheese soup. They complimented each other nicely. The 13th is a very hoppy endeavor. Privileged I was to have this on on tap at Stone. While nursing my soup, I also had a Ruination IPA (as if you didn’t see that coming), as well as a little of their Cali-Belgique IPA (a wonderful little Belgian IPA). Good conversation ensued and soon a Stone hero known as ‘Dr. Bill’ showed up. Dr. Bill is the man behind what the Bistro and bar carries on tap. Word has it he has quite a selection of brews at home himself. My hats off to you sir for such a great job at Stone!

After Stone, it was off to another Mecca for me. One I had not been to, but desperately wanted to: Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey in San Marcos. This was somewhat fitting, as Port occupies Stone’s original location. This was actually a unique experience, as you are actually visiting 2 breweries in one. Port Brewing and its sister brewery The Lost Abbey. We walked in and soon ran into Director of brewery Operations, Tomme Arthur. Tomme also oversees The Lost Abbey, serving as Master Brewer there as well. Tomme has had quite a brewing career, beginning with working at Cervecerias La Cruda Brewery in San Diego and soon after Port Brewing. He was Head Brewer until 1995, when he was named Director of Brewery Operations. Tomme has a passion for flavor driven beers and it shows with The Lost Abbey line.  Tomme was deep into Brewery business, but allowed Matt to show me around and pour a few Port and Lost Abbey brews. Matt is a frequent visitor to Port, as well as a volunteer at various Port/Lost Abbey events. An impressive setup was seen, but we soon gravitated over to the bar in the tasting area. Matt went around behind the bar, while I bellied up to the bar. First up was a few from Port: Old Viscosity(a dark ale), High tide IPA(a bitter, hoppy IPA) and Shark Attack(a double Red ale). Now it was time for a few from the The Abbey Line…

Lost Abbey is nod to the Belgian tradition, brewed ‘For saints and Sinners Alike”. What’s really cool is that each is bottle conditioned and utilizes a hood and wire cork, much like the monastic beers of Belgium. Matt started me off with Devotion, a very hoppy blonde ale with a creamy finish; next up was a sample of Inferno, a very nice strong Belgian Ale. Next was Lost and Found, a beer brewed in the Trappist tradition with a raisin puree used in the brewing process. Last, but not least, was Avant Garde, a nod to the Biere de Garde beers; had a nice bread feel to it.

Although I wanted to stay longer, off we went. Next stop was Holiday Wine Cellar in San Marcos. Probably the best beer selection of any liquor store I’d been too. It was a brief stop to pick up some brews to take home. What caught me was what was in the catacombs down below. I was escorted by Matt and a very nice employee into the bowls of the store. There I witnessed a haven to beer hoarders: many folks had there own cages or lockers for storing and aging their beers. A few cases of beer loaded into the car later, and it was off to a beer bar in San Marcos, that was soon to become a favorite: Churchill’s.

We arrived at Churchill’s Pub and Grill early in the evening (after a quick stop over at Matt’s to grab more brew), and the place was exactly what Matt described: a nice little English style pub with only the best brew on tab. Owner Ivan Derezin came over after a few minutes to say hi to Matt and introduce himself to me. As I sipped my brew (name not remembered), in walks none other than Tomme Arthur of Port/Lost Abbey. Another quick hello to Tomme, and he was off for some dinner with his family. Although very busy that day, he was (and is..) in the middle of a reconstruction of the place, he was nice enough to take the time to sit for a few minutes. A few beers and some food later, and it was time to head outside for a cigar and some la Folie from New Belgium. Soon after as the cigars began to peeter out, it was time to go. Tomorrow was another adventure.

Day 3
On my this day, I decided to head up the highway a little and visit Green Flash Brewing Co. I had called ahead of time and spoke to co-owner , Lisa Hinkley, but I dropped by on a day I was not expected. Brewmater Chuck Silva was in and although extremely busy, he agreed to show me around. A quick tour around their impressive brewery, I ended up at their tap wall for some ‘samples. Chuck talked with me for a bit longer, but then had to tend to brewery business. He came back here and there, but at this point I was left to tasting brews poured by one of the cellerman and to look around. Listening to a little Flogging Molly, I tasted Le Freak(a Belgian IPA); 30th Street Pale Ale (a local only Pale Ale with a big bitter hop flavor); their Summer Saison; and their Double Stout (this was a real treat..). Time to go, but I was not done yet.

A quick stop by Churchill’s again on the way back to the hotel, I had a brew, some food and a hello to Ivan. Off to the hotel.  As they day wound down, I met up with Shanna later for a drink at the bar. A watered down mojito for her and a watered down nameless brew for me. Neither of us finished our drinks they were so bad.

Day 4

I spent the morning at the famous San Diego Zoo and some great museums in Balboa Park(after a brief chai stopover with Shanna). By afternoon, I was starving and met up with my sister at the Ballast Point Brewing Co. No food to be had, but some great beers. While awaiting my sisters arrival, I walked around this unique brewery. It actually began as a supply store) (Home Brew Mart) for home brewers!  The brewery is actually located in the back of the store in a large warehouse. This was one ow a couple of locations. On tap that day was their Yellow tail Pale Ale (a brew based on the Kolsh brewing tradition); Big Eye IPA (a very bitter and hoppy, but balanced IPA); their Black Marlin Porter ( a typical chocolaty porter, but with a fair amount of hops!); and lastly I had a tasting of their calico Amber Ale ( a solid Amber, but the coffee undertones didn’t work for me).

After Ballast Point, my sister and I headed back to downtown San Diego for some dinner before meeting friends. We had chosen to eat at the Ritual Tavern, but as they were not yet open, we meandered over to the Toronado bar in San Diego. Quite a selection these guys have, and the atmosphere was fantastic. What to choose! When I saw that they carried Cable Car from the Lost Abbey, it was decided. Quite and expensive bottle, but well worth it! This is thrown into the ‘American Wild Ale’ for its use of Brettanomyces yeast. You never know for sure how these will turn out, and this one was sour, but very well balanced with malt. A rare treat, as this doesn’t come out often.

Ritual finally opened up, so sis and I headed back over to Ritual. A funky little bistro/tavern, it boasted a decent wine bar and a decent selection of local brews. I ordered the Sheppard’s Pie and we shared a cheese and cracker plate. While enjoying this fine meal, I had another Green Flash 30th Street Pale Ale, followed up with an Alesmith ‘Lil’ Devil’. Quite a fine evening with my sister indeed (although a wine aficionado, she is quite knowledge with beers and has an excellent palate).

With only a few hours to go on my last night in San Diego, we headed over to Extraordinary Desserts to unwind and met Shanna and Sophia there. While having an excellent dessert (I don’t remember what I had!), I enjoyed a Lagunitas Lucky 13 Ale. Another wonderful time with family and friends over a good meal and good beer.

Day 5

A sad farewell to my sister, all my beer and luggage loaded up, I began to head out of town. On my way back home to San Antonio, I wanted to say goodbye to those who had become good friends and great hosts while I was in San Diego. I stopped over to say goodbye to Sophia, then called Shanna and Matt (as they were both unavailable) and then headed out..I will be back.

The overall abbey plan was modeled after the 13th century Cistercian Abbey of Villers at Villers-la-Ville in Walloon Brabant. The Neo-Gothic architecture, by Belgian master-architect Jean-Baptiste Béthune, is praised as a hallmark of the style.” The abbey appears not make the beer itself. Instead it licenses it’s name to Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat, who actually brew Maredsous. As with all true Abbey beers, this is brewed under the supervision of the Abbaye.

Brewed a dubbel, or double, beers of this type are similar to a brown ale in some ways. They typically have a higher alcohol content, hence the name. The origin of the style originates back to the Trappist monastery of Westmalle in the mid-1800′s. With this style, you will typically see some fruit and spice characteristics, as well as some mild to moderate hop bitterness. Notes of caramel are also often present and most dubbels are medium in body.

Poured into a goblet, the Maredsous 8 came out a very deep reddish brown. But don’t let that fool you. When held up to the sun, the dark brown subsides and a brilliant medium copper is present. As it poured the bubbles were abound and floated right to the top producing a nice amount of foam leaving a thin, but foamy sustainable head.

As soon as I began to smell this one, an aroma of deep roasted caramel malts came out. Almost overpowering, but in a wonderful, I need to have more kind of way. Definite aroma of fruit, banana is what I’m getting from this. Definite spice, a little sugary on the back end, but all this balances the alcohol aroma nicely.

Upon tasting the 8, the alcohol comes out more predominate than I expected it to, with the caramel malt nicely balancing it out. I get a definite chocolate taste that I didn’t catch in the aroma, but goes very well with the faint fruit present. Another sip and the caramel and chocolate flavor becomes more predominate and the alcohol just blends right in. What was a nice addition was the slightly bitter hops I get near the end. A subtle, but nice participate in this mixture.

It has a medium mouthfeel. Definitely crisp, but also very much a sticky, foamy feel with the carbonation not playing a big part, as it seems to mesh together giving it a very creamy finish.

Overall, a solid Dubbel that I could see having around the house on a regular basis. I’ve usually had this on tap, but out of the bottle it’s very nice as well. Almost keeps the carbonation consistent. Weighs in at 8% ABV, so you can enjoy the flavors and not kill yourself. Have 2 or 3, and you may want to pace yourself. I had this one with out food, but easily see this pairing nicely with an Apple Dumping a la mode.

So, what style is this one? Pilsner/lager? Black IPA? American Strong Ale? Hard to truly say. It has characteristics of a black IPA. Very hoppy, bitter and an unmistakable piney flavor/aroma. It also blasts you with a strong alcohol content and strong malt flavor. But, then there’s that whole Pilsner thing. So, what is it? Matt Steele at Stone trys to put this debate to rest “just what the hell is a Black Pilsner, anyway? ‘It’s a Pilsner in the fact that we brewed it with Pilsner malt and fermented it with Pilsner yeast,’ said Mitch(The Brewmaster), ‘but it’s bigger, darker and hoppier, and it’s unlike any beer I’ve ever had.’ There you have it. Settled.” To me, its characteristics are more that of a Black IPA. Knowing that it has Pilsner Malt and Pilsner yeast, I just don;t any Pilsner feel to it. So Black IPA is is for me, however I ultimately defer to the folks at Stone/CBC and BrewDog.After all, who am I to second guess?

Appearance is that of a black almost dark brown ale. Poured well into my tulip glass with moderate carbonation that produced a thin, but very sustainable lacing.

What an aroma. An explosion of smell on the first whiff. The grapefruit is very dominating, but pleasant indeed. Roasted malt hits me next making me want another before I’ve even had a taste and it must be bringing out the chocolate I smell. Not dominating, but definite hops in this one, giving it a nice piney aroma to balance all the smells in this ‘pilsner’.

Taste is even better. I almost do not know what I’m tasting here, as all the flavors come at you at once. Not  prominent in the aroma, as I think I missed it, but the roasted chocolaty malt is prominent more than it was in the aroma. The grapefruit comes in toward the end giving it a nice sweetness that really compliments the piney hop taste. The second taste brings out a little spice, almost anise in nature. What I am not getting here is the Pilsner taste. I expected that, but do not taste it at all. Not that I’m complaining, but no hint of the Pilsner yeast that was used to brew this one.

Mouthfeel is…wow..just fantastic. Crisp, refreshing and..wait, now I’m sounding like a damn Budweiser commercial. Ok, Crisp indeed. Medium bodied and goes down so easy, you miss the alcohol content in this one. What’s great, is that all those smells are hitting your nostrils while your tasting the same flavors.

Overall, this was just flat out fantastic. This was actually the third one I’ve tried and they keep getting better. Although this is definitely Pilsner in name only. All these ingredients cooked up by the mad scientists at Stone, Cambridge and brew Dog just overpower any chance a Pilsner taste here. ABV weighs in at 10% and as I said, this goes down so smooth, pace yourself. if you have more than one, you won’t know what hit you. This was enjoyed with a baked apple topped with cinnamon.

photo credit goes to the fine folks at Stone Brewing Co.

“The story of Dogfish Head began in June of 1995 when we opened Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, the first state’s first brewpub opened in the resort beach community of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The plan was to bring original beer, original food, and original music to the area.

Not only was Dogfish Head Delaware’s first brewpub, it was the smallest commercial brewery in America. Our very first batch, Shelter Pale Ale, was brewed on a system which essentially was three little kegs with propane burners underneath. Brewing 12–gallon batches of beer for a whole restaurant proved to be more than a full time job. When the doors to the pub first opened, we brewed three times a day, five days a week! The one benefit to brewing on such a small system was the ability to try out a myriad of different recipes. We quickly got bored brewing the same things over and over – that’s when we started adding all sorts of weird ingredients and getting kind of crazy with the beers!

The beer wasn’t the brewpub’s only draw. The pub’s menu centered on a wood-burning grill. We soon became known as the place to enjoy fresh grilled seafood, burgers, pizzas and sandwiches. The wood–burning grill imparts a unique flavor to everything on the menu, whether it’s a hearty sandwich, a delicate piece of fish or our signature pizza dough.

With the popularity of the pub growing, it was quickly apparent that the 12–gallon brewery would not keep up with demand. We built a new brewery and underwent a thirty-fold expansion of the brew house!

The reputation of Dogfish Head ales quickly grew beyond Delaware’s borders. Calls from Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and beyond poured in, as thirsty restaurant patrons demanded their favorite beach beer at home. We began bottling our Shelter Pale Ale in 1996 and just 1 year later we expanded again – this time we separated the packaging operation from the restaurant, and kept on brewing! By 1999, we were up to five year–round bottled brands in about a dozen states.

We outgrew our distributing brewery in a couple years and in the summer of 2002; we moved our entire production brewery up the road to Milton, Delaware into a 100,000 square foot converted cannery. Around the same time (just to keep thing interesting), we built a distillery on the second floor of our Rehoboth Beach brewpub, so we could make vodka, rum and gin.

Thanks to all our employees and every one of our customers, Dogfish Head continues to grow today! We’re now up to nearly 20 styles of beer that are sold in more than 25 states, and a half–dozen kinds of hand–crafted spirits… and we still have some ideas in the back of our collective heads.

This is an example of an Imperial IPA, or India Pale Ale. Essentially this is an IPA all juiced up. The style often have double the hops and malt, creating an even more bitter taste. Some Imperials are more balanced between the hops and malt, giving it a clean, crisp, bitter hop finish, but with a balanced sweet malt taste. Much higher in alcohol than a standard IPA.  Dogfish Head takes a twist on this by blending of an oak-aged English strong ale and their 90 Minute I.P.A.

This poured nicely into a pint glass, with a light copper/reddish tone and producing a medium amount of foam. The nice amount of carbonation may be the culprit for the foam, but either way it left a thin but nice lacing on the glass.

The aroma was a very nice citrus, mixed with a wonderful floral aroma, almost that of mountain wildflowers. Slightly piny, although I think this can be attributed to the the floral aroma.The malt really does balance this nicely, but still retain a bitter hop finish.

The taste was very nice. The bitter hop I smelled really comes out, enhancing the sweetness of the malt balance. Somewhat a contridiction perhaps, as some imperials are extremely bitter with no attempt at balance, and others loose the bitter while having complete balance. The alchohol taste is there more on the back end and can sneek up.

Mouthfeel is good. Very crisp, sweet and goes down smooth.

I liked this one. I’ve had it before and always enjoyed it. It paired nicely with the grilled chicken fajitas with Monterrey Jack cheese I had. The bitter hops balanced and complimented the cheese. With a 10% ABV, take it slow, but enjoy and have another!