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 [...]
Thursday means Trivia Night at Mr. Beery’s, which is a fun filled time where you can actually learn a thing or two. Here’s a bit of trivia for you; what was my session beer when I consulted up in Maryland several years ago? The answer is Brewer’s Art Resurrection (The Brewer’s Art; Baltimore, MD; Dubbel; [...]
Asheville, NC is known as a hotbed for all things artisan, in addition to being named Beer City USA 2010 by a recent poll. Its beauty and charm has long been known by many of this country’s elites as well, which is why George Washington Vanderbilt II chose to build Biltmore Estate, the nation’s largest [...]
I recently read an article in Men’s Journal magazine naming the Top 25 Beers in America for 2009. One of them, an ale from Flying Fish in New Jersey, was voted the Best Belgian Style beer. Being an former resident of the Garden State, and having friends who know the owners of this brewery, I [...]
St. Bernardus is truly one of the world’s greatest breweries. Every beer that I have had from them has been nothing less than excellent. It’s amazing to think that I haven’t even drank even just an average or good ale from them, let alone one that was mediocre! And the latest offering that I had [...]
Another year, another Best Beers list. I decided to do a new slant on this year’s All-Time Favorites post, and create my dream case. The criteria is as follows: a. Retired beers have been omitted. Ales such as DuClaw Repent, Blue Point No Apologies Imperial IPA, and Thomas Hardy’s Ale were among my favorites, but [...]
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 [...]