Sunday, September 30, 2012

Ellicottville Octoberfest Lager


This lager was pretty awful.  Definitely not my favorite.  I don't think I'll be picking it up again. 

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Keegan Ales Joe Mama’s Milk


This beer was delicious.  We had Mother's Milk right before it and it was a giant improvement.  This is one to try if you can find it.  The coffee taste is delicious and it's a well blended beer.


Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Keegan Ales Mothers Milk Stout


This beer was easy to drink and quite delicious.  It's a solid milk stout and I'd definitely drink it again.  It's not going to blow your mind, but you will enjoy it.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale


This is one of my favorite pumpkin beers.  It's spicy and flavorful.  It is the most complex?  No.  Can I drink a 6 pack of it easily?  Yes.  Do I love it?  Totally. I know a lot of people will disagree with me about this one, but I really don't care.  I love how flavorful it is and how it almost tastes like pie, but not as sweet.  Oh and for the price, it's just right!

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Magic Hat Hex


This is another fall seasonal from Magic Hat.  It was ok, but definitely not one of the better beers of the season.  It was drinkable, but nothing I'd go looking for.


Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Sixpoint Resin


This was a very good beer.  It wasn't as hoppy as I expected for the IBUs.  It was nice and smooth.  It reminded us a Pliny.  Not quite that level, but still comparable.  

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

PUB REVIEW: Oskar Blues Home Made Liquids & Solids

On our little tour of Colorado, we stopped into Oskar Blue's restaurant.  It was lunch time and the place was still busy.  We were seated fairly quickly, but the restaurant was kind of loud.  Also, there was a lot of stuff going on.  The walls were filled with decorations.

The beers were delicious, as to be expected.  The husband went with a burrito drowned in gumbo.  It was delicious.


I had the Jamaican jerk chicken sandwich.  I wasn't a big fan of the jalepeno jam and the peanut slaw combination.  Really, one or the other would have been ok, but both made it a bit too much.


Overall, I'd stop in here for a few drinks and maybe some snacks, but I don't know if I'd make a full meal out of it again - unless I could eat the burrito.

Check out Oskar Blue's website for more information on location, hours, and such.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Saranac Black Forest


Mehhhh...this is not my style at all.  It was ok, but it's hard to judge when you're not a fan of the style.  Rate Beer gives it a mid-range score and so would I.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Saranac Irish Red Ale


It's ok.  It's what you'd expect from a red ale. It seems to the be trend that the Saranac beers are just about okay in my head and nothing is over the top impressive.  They're beers I'd pick up a mixer box to take to a party and I'd give new ones a try, but I don't think they'd be standard ones I'd drink.  

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Sixpoint Otis


I had this beer on nitro at the Bier Abbey in Schenectady, NY.  The head was like oatmeal, but in a good way.  It was thick and yummy.  The entire beer was delicious.  The beer itself was a bit bitter, but it did not detract from the taste at all.  It is one of my favorite oatmeal stouts this year.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale


This beer was on tap at the Bier Abbey in Schenectady, NY.  It was good and strong and has a nice flavor.  It was darker than I expected for a pumpkin ale.  It may be one of the best pumpkin beers I've had this year.  

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Southern Tier Pumking


I had this on tap at the Bier Abbey in Schenectady, NY and I've had it in the bottle this year.  Clearly, the beer on tap is pictured.  It's good, but not nearly as strong and delicious as last year's batch.  I'm beginning to think the pumpkin crop this year wasn't so great as a lot of the pumpkin beers have been a bit disappointing.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

PUB REVIEW: Bier Abbey


The husband and I came to the Bier Abbey in Schenectady, NY to get some 120 Minute from Dogfish Head on tap.  We only stepped inside briefly and then returned outside to sit on the patio since it was a nice evening.  The inside looked a little small, but then again, that could just be the bit I saw.  We were waiting on my brother-in-law and the server was extremely patient while we waited.  We ordered some fries to keep us from starving during the wait and boy were they good.  You get to pick which sauces you want.  Awesome.


After a while my brother-in-law texted us and let us know he wouldn't be able to make it after all.  We proceeded to order some dinner.  The husband had a burger which he very much enjoyed.  I went with the chicken strips.  OMG, they may be the best "grown-up" chicken strips I've ever had.  The breading was just delightful.  The chicken was real meat, not overly processed crap.  The food was great and reasonably priced.


After dinner we treated ourselves to some dessert - chocolate cake with ice cream.  It was delicious.  We fought over it.  And had we not been sitting outside with people around, I think we would have literally licked the plate clean.  

Oh, and the real reason you care - they have a great beer selection.  They keep their facebook pretty up to date with what's on tap for the day and it's always a nice variety.  We didn't ask a lot of questions, but the table next to us had a million about the beers and the staff seemed quite knowledgeable.  Definitely a place to check out.

Check out Bier Abbey's facebook page for more info.

Magic Hat hI.P.A.

This beer was good and some definite floral tastes.  It wasn't super hoppy, but easy to drink. 

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Saranac Pumpkin Ale


Yet another just okay beer from Saranac.  It didn't have a lot of pumpkin flavor or remind me much of any of the other spice characteristics I'd expect in a pumpkin beer.  It was drinkable, but nothing I'd look for again.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Saranac Caramel Porter

I don't know where the picture of this beer went.  It was surprisingly good and I liked it.  Possibly the best Saranac I've had.  

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Post Road Pumpkin Ale


Ok. Not the strongest pumpkin or in flavor.  Not something I'd ever look for specifically again.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat

I don't ever know why I didn't bother to take a picture of this beer....

Really thought, it was okay.  By far nothing I'd ever call a favorite or buy myself, but when given to me for free as a "housewarming" beer, I won't complain.  It was drinkable and that was the best part.  If you're appealing to the masses, this is a good one.  If you actually enjoy craft beer (as I presume you do reading this blog) you may want to skip this one.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Bells Batch 9000 Ale


Oh my goodness. The taste is like an explosion in your mouth. Delicious. Smooth. Complex.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Bells Batch 10000 Ale


There was so much going on in this beer that there was no good way to comprehend all the flavors.  It tasted smokey to me.  Really, though, it just tasted amazing.  Is amazing a flavor?  Well, it is now.  

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Bells Hopslam


Delicious. Amazing. Hoppy. Smooth.  Find it and drink it now.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Custom Brewcrafters Duffs Beer Ale


This beer is brewed for Duff's Wings in Buffalo, NY.  Well, I'm sure they brew for all their locations (NY and Canada), but I had it at the Buffalo location.  With some wings.  The wings were good.  The beer...not so much.  It was below average and tasted slightly better than a Bud or a Coors.  If you want some beer with your wings, then this is doable, but not a reason to travel to Duff's.  However, their wings are, so go for them instead.

The brewery's site doesn't talk about the beers they brew for others, so you're on your own.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Founders Breakfast Stout


This beer was so very smooth.  And delicious.  And just yuuuuum.  If you can find this beer, don't walk by it on the shelf.  Just pick it up immediately.  You'll thank me later.  This beer is thick and filled with coffee flavor.  It's amazing.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Bells Java Stout


Picked this one up at Sergio's in Kentucky.  We drank it in the hotel in Mansfield, Ohio.  It was well worth the travel.  It was a great java stout.  The coffee wasn't overpowering, but provided a nice flavor.  YUM!


Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Bluegrass Bourbon Barrel Stout


I wanted more bourbon out of this beer. And more stout. The stout is mediocre at best. Slight notes of bourbon but not enough for calling themselves a Bourbon Barrel Stout in Kentucky.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale


For an ale it's got a lot bourbon flavor. The underlying beer is not as great but the bourbon comes out for sure.  I'd drink it again.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Buffalotini

This is a slight off from the beer theme.  We had this at Brown's Hotel in Louisville, KY.  If you haven't heard of this hotel, it's where the Hot Brown was "invented."  If you don't know what this, there's a recipe on their website and I can tell you it's just plain delicious.  

Anyway, the Buffalotini was Buffalo Trace liquor and bourbon and hit of nutmeg.  It was deeeelicious.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Bells Special Double Cream Stout


I had this on tap at Sergio's in Louisville.  It was super sweet.  So sweet you had to drink it slow and sip it.  It was delicious though.  Definitely one to try if you don't mind the sweet.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

PUB REVIEW: Sergio's World Beers


Sergio's World Beers is located in Louisville, Kentucky.  Honestly, if you're anywhere within driving distance this place may be worth your trip.  I love, love, loved this place.  I could imagine if I lived in Louisville I'd become a regular here.  They brag to have over 1000 beers and I'm quite certain they do.

According to their website, there are 43 taps and 1417 bottles of beer.  Those are different types of beer too.  One of the best parts of this place is you can buy a bottle and sit down and drink it there.  There are coolers upon coolers of beer.  And the tap list is long and you really may need to spend some serious time considering which beers to pick from.  Oh, and be sure to get yourself a taxi since it'll be hard to not just keep picking great beers.

The service here is hit or miss.  We had a terrible time ordering and one time the guy forgot he was pouring my beer and wandered off for like 10 minutes.  Either way, I would still go to this place for the selection.

While there we ordered the chili wontons and they were pretty good (pictured above).  We also had the Sergio's special burrito.  Nothing special, but we weren't here for food.  We were here for the beer.  And the beer definitely came through.  They do have an ok food menu though so you can have some solid sustenance while you enjoy your liquid diet.  

Know that Sergio's isn't easy to find and you will probably walk by it a time or two before you find it the first time here.  Don't be discouraged though, it's worth doing the hunting for. 

Check out Sergio's website for more info on hours, location, etc.
You can check out what other's think at Rate Beer.

Apocalypse Brew Works Apollo IPA


This one isn't on the brewery's site so it may have been a random offering.  It was a good IPA.  One of the better beers we had there.  

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
This one isn't on Rate Beer, so you have to rely on me.

Apocalypse Brew Works Atomic Amber

I'm not sure where the picture of this one went, but it was dark in the place so it may not have had the best picture anyway.  It was average and an ok amber.  Nothing I'd hunt for, but I'd definitely have it again if I was in the area.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Apocalypse Brew Works St. Christopher


This one was a little beer sampler we had, but it was tasty.  Definitely one from this brewery to try.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Apocalypse Brew Works Sunspot Stout


This beer was good and a solid oatmeal stout.  That seemed to be the trend from Apocalypse.  Good.  Nothing super notable, but they were new and still developing.  I think with a year or two under their belt they'll be outstanding.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
This one isn't reviewed yet, so you're stuck with me.

BREWERY REVIEW: Apocalypse Brew Works

The husband and I were on a cross country trip and spent an evening exploring the breweries Louisville had to offer.  Out of our stops, this was the most unexpected and possibly the favorite.  


Apocalypse is somewhat tucked away and I don't think I would have noticed it had we not been looking for it.  We came in and took two seats up at the bar.  The bartenders were quite friendly and willing to tell us all about their journey into getting this place going.  

We tried a few of their beers and were generally pleased with what they had to offer.  They seem to have a constant rotating tap selection of whatever they've come up with lately.  Watermelon Crack was an offering and it was great if you like sweet, fruit flavored beers (not my style, but I could still appreciate it).  Expect to find beers served in plastic glasses, no food, and a single uni-sex restroom in this small brewery location.  There was a food truck in the parking lot, but that was independent from the brewery.  

Overall, I definitely think if you're a beer lover in Louisville, or just traveling through, you should give this place a try.  It may be one of the best stops you can make on a beer tour of this city!



Check out their website for more info.

Against the Grain Rico Sauvin


We had this on tap at the brewery.  It was interesting for sure.  It had a hop in it that I really didn't like and the flavor dominated the beer.  Overall, not one of my top IPAs.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Against the Grain Mockless Lobster


This beer was ok.  We had it on tap at the brewery/restaurant.  It wasn't very much in the style of a Scotch in my opinion.  It was a decent beer but not as malty as I'd like.  I'd drink it again, but wouldn't come to the brewery just for this.  I do like the name though.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

PUB REVIEW: Against the Grain


This place is right in Louisville Slugger Field pretty much.  It was a great location.  I imagine if I was a baseball fan this would be a great stop before a game.

We were doing a little beer tour of Louisville so gave this place a try.  We had two of their beers and they were both just okay.  The menu was a bit strange for beers, but it was unique with labels of "hop" or "dark" and almost a surprise of a beer.  They have an interesting brewery model which leads to beers not appearing again and again.

We had the smoked beer cheese as a snack as this was one of many stops.  The beer cheese was like velveeta and it was served with potato chips of sorts.  The chips were quite good and clearly fresh.  The cheese was a bit disappointing.  

It was an okay place, but nothing remarkable.  Maybe if we had gone with some more food it would have left more of an impression, but the purpose we came for (beer) and the rest of the restaurant we tried left something to be desired.

Check out their website for more info.

PUB REVIEW: Holy Grale

This place was a top choice in Louisville when we stopped here.  Not only did we hear they had great beer, we heard they had delicious food.  Located in what looks like an old church, you'd easily walk by it if you did not know what you were looking for.  We sat out back on the patio and enjoyed the ambiance and hop vines growing. 


We started off with the pickle plate, which had no pickles that you'd think of and instead several different pickled items.  They were all delicious and interesting.  It came with an accompaniment of bread to go with it.  Overall, the dish was fresh and pleasant.


Then we decided to try the scotch quail eggs.  Neither my husband or I have ever really enjoyed a scotch egg, but these were great.  The inside was done perfectly and whatever was on the outside was great.  The sauce that came with it was just the perfect amount and not smothering to the egg.


We ended the meal with a chicken apple brat.  It was on a pretzel bun, which is the real reason I decided to order it.  The bun was great and the brat was too.  There were fresh toppings on it and overall it was wonderful.

Our experience at Holy Grale was pretty good and we enjoyed ourselves.  The servers were attentive, but not overly friendly.  The service itself was perfectly fine though.  Definitely a place to try out!

Check out Holy Grale's website for more information on location and hours.

Mikkeller 1000 IBU


This beer was like 120 Minute but without all the booze taste.  It was fabulous and over the top hoppy.  Definitely try one if you happen to see one.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

To Øl Mochaccino Messiah


We had this one on tap at Holy Grale in Louisville.  It was nutty and had a delicious coffee flavor.  It was delicious and a beer I wish I could find way more often.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Friday, September 7, 2012

OFallon Pumpkin Beer


I like it.  It has almost a caramel taste. Reminds me of Shipyard Pumpkinhead.  I'd try it again if it was easy to come by.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Breckenridge Vanilla Porter


This one was a great beer.  It was truly delicious.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro


Yummy.  The head was delicious.  This beauty was had at Euclid Hall during our Denver beer tour.  Nitro makes this beer even better than it is in the bottle.  Great beer, even better on nitro.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

River North Whiskey Aged J Marie Saison


This was one of our last beers on our Denver tour.  It was so good.  It had a perfect whiskey tastes to it.  It was a great flavor and totally delicious.  Definitely one I'll be sad I can't get locally.  YUM!

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

River North Avarice


Yum.  This was a delicious imperial stout.  It was just the right amount of heavy and the alcohol wasn't overpowering.  Definitely one to try.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

River North Hoppenberg Uncertainty Principle


HOLY IBUS!!!  130 per the brewery.  This beer was delicious and smooth and an amazing beer.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

River North Quandary


This beer was good and a solid quad.  Definitely one for the trying.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Great Divide Wild Raspberry Ale


This beer is good if you like raspberry and fruit ales.  Try mixing it with the chocolate yeti.  It was yummmmm.

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.

Great Divide Clayton Bigsby


Limited tap available at the brewery.  This beer was great though.  They should work on trying to bottle this one.  It knocked both our socks off!

Check out the brewery's site for more info.
See if it's distributed near you and what others think at Rate Beer.