I received several samples this past week of an IPA that is part of Newcastle’s Limited Edition Series. Having enjoyed several of the Scottish brewery’s offerings in the past, including New Castle Brown Ale and especially their John Courage Amber Ale when it was available in the U.S., I was more than curious to give [...]
Swung by the Mad Crow on Thursday to see the latest beers that Darren and Charles had brewed. With Fall approaching for most of the country, even here in Tampa Bay, I was in the mode for a good Autumn brew or two. I started out with a pint of Mad Crow Screaming Banshee (Mad [...]
Saturday marked the one year anniversary for SRQ craft beer pub Growlers. Owners Kevin and Sherry Kolyno put together a great birthday bash, with everything from a delicious barbecue, prize drawings, and killer cupcakes to an impromptu guitar set by local artist Steve McAllister. Additionally, there were five area bands on hand, including my friends [...]
No rental car, no problem. The Pacific Northwest has some of the best public transportation around. We thoroughly enjoyed our vacation, and spent a considerable amount of time exploring Seattle. Anne & I even took a shuttle down to Portland to pay The City of Roses a visit. The area has a lot to offer, [...]
Here is a list of my Favorite Beers. I have listed them in alphabetical order, along with the brewery, location, style, ABV content, and some comments for your reference. A – J Anchor Steam Beer; Anchor Brewing Co.; San Francisco, CA; Steam Beer; ABV: 4.9. An absolute classic. Crisp & dry with a light hoppy [...]
Made the rounds this past Tuesday in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Plenty of corn beef & cabbage, “green” beer, etc. While the “wearing of the green” is the theme for this day, 2 beers with a black label stood out for me. The first was Sprecher’s Black Bavarian, an excellent, very drinkable schwarzbier. A [...]
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 [...]