Dessert in a Bottle?

I know what you are thinking... another Firestone beer. But, I cant help it, Firestone Brewery has hit more home runs this year than Babe Ruth! This time I had the privilege to enjoy Abacus, a big barleywine! Abacus has a beautiful rich Copper color and pours thick with beautiful lacing on the glass. On the nose, I pick up hints of raisin, chocolate, and carmel. The first sip produced one thought in my mind... Tiramisu! Flavors of vanilla, brown sugar, carmel, and bourbon fill my pallet. It finishes with a slight coffee and nutty flavor. The carbonation is low to moderate, with a just right mouth feel.

The history behind this beer is as good as it tastes. It all started 3 years ago, Adam and David placed Abacus in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels (Whiskey barrels). For three years, this liquid delight, picked up all the flavors of the bourbon barrels. It may be hard to find, because it was just released a week or two ago.

Why Green Beer?

I am not sure what American Pub decided that green beer was a good idea. I am guessing that the pub owner sold nothing but fizzy yellow beer and decided to disguise it by dyeing it green. So thus the green beer atrocity began! If this pub owner had good quality American Micro Brew on tap, he would not have to dye his beer green to attract customers. This is just my two cents!

Hidden Treasures

  One of my favorite micro breweries is Anacapa Brewing Company. What's that you say... You have never heard of it.

  That is why it is my hidden treasure. Listen carefully and I will tell you how to find the hidden treasure.

  But first, lets talk about the beer. Anacapa Brewing Co. has been brewing beer over a decade. They opened their doors in 2000. Head brewmaster Jason Coudray joined the brewery last year. I have always been a fan of their Pierpont IPA (no surprises there) but this weekend I had a chance to enjoy their Fuggle ESB (AWESOME!!!) But back to the Pierpont, it has big flavor and aroma! I brought back a growler, opened it today, and I almost finished it (by myself)! Enough said about the Pierpont.

  Another thing Anacapa has going for them, is the amazing food! Try the pulled pork sandwich, it is my favorite. Or you can indulge in the beer battered stuffed Jalapenos.
  I know, you all want to know how to find this treasure. Well, it is off  Main Street in Ventura. This is all I will tell you. Now it is up to you to do some treasure hunting. If you happen to stop by for lunch, say hi to Megan. She will educate you on Anacapa brew culture. - Cheers

Living in a bottle...

Bottling day finally arrived! As I sanitized my bottles and set up the priming sugar (that is what is used to get the yeast to off gas carbon dioxide for carbonation), I realized something. I got my siphon ready to extract beer from the carboy, I noticed a lot of stuff floating around. Then it hit me! I never racked my beer. Racking is the process of transferring beer into another carboy to get the sediment out (ie: left over hops, malt, barley) that was left over from the brew process. So my beer turned out unfiltered. That's ok I guess. I took a sample of the beer and measured the gravity. By my calculations it is a respectable 6.8% ABV. I tasted the sample and found a surprising floral hop taste (from the dry hopping I did). So by next Tuesday I will open my first bottle. I will let you know how it all played out! Cheers!

It's all in a Name!

As I pondered  a good name for my new home brewery, my mind kept wandering to the brilliantly named AleSmith. Beer is meant to be artful and innovative and AleSmith has hit that out of the park. Their Belgian and British style begs a second sip. Yule Smith (summer) may be my favorite seasonal brew. Done in an English style IPA, it has a refreshing lightness and body. The hops balance the summer brew out to a perfect finish.
My wife loves logos. Normally she picks her wine based on the label. I think this has rubbed off on me. The AleSmith name and logo is brilliant. Unlike most logos and packaging, this beer is amazing!

Off-Centered Ales For Off-Centered People!

Dogfish Head Brewery began in 1995, in Delaware. Delaware??? Seriously??? Sam Calagione is an innovative brewer. He has come up with some bold, crazy, hair brained, awesome, innovative, good... Did I day crazy? If Sam is not traveling the world to find out how different cultures brew beer, he is at his original Brew House in Rehoboth Beach. He has chewed whole corn kernels to create a fermentable beer or he is capturing live yeast in Egypt. But above all, no matter how successful the brewery becomes, Sam still runs it like a micro brewery.

Beer Ed. 101

My beer awakening happened in 2000. Sure, I had worked at Firestone Brewery in 1997-1999. My real beer education happened when I went to Europe. I had the opportunity to go to Belgium, it was like going to a grown kids Chuck-E-Cheese. My first day in Brussels (the center of Belgium) I had a few (true pints) of Hoegaarden. My walk back to the hotel was an interesting one! Ya see, I was used to no flavor and lower alcohol content of American beer. I could not believe my whole world was spinning after two pints! While adventuring around Belgium, I had the chance to experience Hoegaarden and Duvel Abby Breweries. My whole beer world was rocked! I had no idea beer could be so complex and wonderful! Just seeing how the Trappist Monks put their whole lifestyle and passion into a beer, made me wonder what beer is all about. Ever since that trip, I have a drive to find breweries in the U.S.A. that have that same passion. I guess you could call my trip an awaking. Thank God America stood up and demanded better beer. I keep seeing that same ideology in the micro breweries, that have started up in the last 10 years, as I did in Belgium. So support you local breweries and take a trip to Belgium! - Cheers