One of the things that makes The Walking Dead such a great television series is that like the comic book series the show is based upon, it pulls no punches in killing off main characters. Just last night, the ongoing tension between former best friends Rick Grimes, the group’s leader, and Shane Walsh, now his [...]
I enjoy a good helles bock, especially one brewed in the classic Bavarian tradition. So I opened a bottle the other day of a beer given to me by my friend J.B., that hails from a brewery that’s been crafting beers since 1229. Hofstettner Heller Bock Saphir (Brauerei Hofstetten – Krammer; St. Martin, Austria; Maibock; [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
My friend Kristine Nickel is a woman of many accomplishments. Among them is an expertise for all things culinary. She has maintained a freelance writing career since the early 1980s, wrote a wire-distributed weekly column for the Chicago Tribune for 7 years, and has covered food, wine, and travel for publications such as Sarasota Herald-Tribune, [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]