Since I’d been so high on the Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale in my last post, I decided to try another one of their highly rated ales. Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale (Stone Brewing Co.; Escondido, CA; American Strong Ale; ABV: 8.7) is a smooth and rich tasting beer that was all I expected it to [...]
There’s an old saying that to win at roulette, you should always bet on black. And there were several dark beers that I tried over the past week that are winners in their own right. Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale (Stone Brewing Co.; Escondido, CA; Belgian Strong Dark Ale; ABV: 8.6) is an absolutely outstanding [...]
The best World Series since 2002 had plenty of outstanding players, but one truly stood out in the Game 6 clincher. Hideki Matsui, best known as Godzilla to fans and foes alike, went 3-for-4 with a home run and record tying 6 RBIs as the New York Yankees rode the pitching tandem of Andy Petitte [...]
With the spirit of Halloween in the air this week, I stopped by my local World of Beer this week and tried a very interesting and complex brew. The Beast Grand Cru (Avery Brewing Co.; Boulder, Co; Belgian Strong Ale; ABV: 16.0) is a Belgian strong ale that starts out smooth and then packs a [...]
We stopped by BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse in Pinellas Park on Sunday for dinner, and noticed that they had an abbey ale as the special on draft. Beer Advocate had it listed as retired, but BJ’s is brewing it again. I can definitely attest, after a couple of pints, that everything’s back to Normal! BJ’s [...]
It’s an annual right of passage at the beginning of February that two world renowned Imperial IPAs make their mark upon the craft beer world. The first, Russian River Pliny The Younger (Russian River Brewing Co.; Santa Rosa, CA; Imperial India Pale Ale; ABV: 11.0), has become the Holy Grail for many beer enthusiasts. While [...]
With the explosion of the craft beer industry, it seems like ales and lagers are giving wine a run for its money as the drink of choice. In fact, many breweries have started to age their ales in oak barrels which give them a distinct wine like character. This “crossover” is producing beers that appeal [...]