Anne & I are going on vacation starting tomorrow. We’ve always wanted to see the Pacific Northwest, so we’re heading to Seattle. We also plan to hit Portland, and if time permits, head up to British Columbia (Victoria and/or Vancouver). Cascadia has been baking in the 100′s this week, but it looks like the heat [...]
In the mix ‘n match world of beer, there’s the Black & Tan (Guinness Stout + Bass Ale), Black Velvet (Guinness Stout + cider, e.g. Strongbow), & Shandy (Harp Lager + Sprite), among others. But have you ever had a Flash Gordon? The brainchild of beer aficionado John “Flash” Gordon and Shamrock Pub bartender Jackie, [...]
While some beers taste great out of the bottle, e.g. Ola Dubh Special 16 Reserve from Harviestoun and St. Bernardus Abt 12 come to mind, the majority of beers taste fresher on tap. A good tap line can really determine the taste as well. A good beer like Guinness 250th Anniversary Stout can truly stand [...]
Anne & I had a blast this past 4th of July weekend. We got together with family & friends throughout the holiday weekend. Our highlights included attending a cookout, singing karaoke, having dinner at the beach, & watching a spectacular fireworks display. And of course there was plenty of beer to help usher in America’s [...]
I picked up a bottle of Brooklyn Local 2 (Brooklyn Brewery; Brooklyn, NY; Belgian Strong Dark Ale; ABV: 9.0) the other night. I found it to be one of the better Belgian strong dark ales, comparable to Chimay Grande Réserve (Blue). It goes down so smoothly that you question whether the ABV is really 9%. [...]
Dead Guy Ale by Rogue Brewery is one of my all-time favorite beers, so it just seemed natural that I would go “double or nothing.” I decided to try their Double Dead Guy Ale (2009) (Rogue Ales Brewery; Newport, OR; American Strong Ale; ABV: 9.5), & picked up a bottle at my local Total Wine [...]
Marzens tend to be traditional Fall beers, but I had the chance to try a different take on this beer style at Crum’s Bar and Grill recently. Cigar City Marzen Spring Lager (Cigar City Brewing; Tampa, FL; Marzen; ABV: 5.5) is also known as Cigar City Oktoberfest Marzen when it’s released during the autumn months. [...]
You can add Crum’s Bar and Grill to a growing list of exceptional brewpubs in the Tampa Bay area. Located in downtown St. Petersburg, and owned by Chris Crum and Lanette Miller, Crum’s Bar and Grill offers craft beer, food, and live music in a hip casual setting. Speaking of which, there’s 52 selections of [...]
The last time I was at the Cigar City Brewing Tasting Room in Tampa, I learned something new. Did you know that bats pollinate blue agave plants, which provide the ingredient found in tequila? So it’s fitting that I tried a double cream ale, named for the bat, that’s aged in tequila barrels. Cigar City [...]