The Brew Dork Times

Yummy

2012-01-15T13:52:00.001-08:00

Drinking a Breakfast Cereal Killer oatmeal stout at Big Time Brewery in the U District and it is KILLER :)

Prost,
D-Lux

A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link...

2011-09-11T19:09:00.000-07:00

With that in mind, I decided that in order for me to derive a fair and comprehensive conclusion about the current state of beer affairs in the greater Seattle region, it was time for me to take a break from the craft beer cortège, and try a brew or two from the other end of the spectrum.

Enter, Rainier Beer (or as my roommate so lovingly referred to it, “Vitamin R”)

When I set out to test the waters of Seattle’s water-y beer, I had two requirements in mind, that the beer be local, and cheap. I’d never hear of Rainier Beer, and at approximately 13-bucks for a suitcase of eighteen cans, I knew I had my beer.

With not much on the docket Friday night, I decided to throw on a DVD, and get right down to business (as this beer would be decidedly less complex that my usual specimen I felt it was acceptable to leave the pen and notebook tucked away for this one and go based on “feel”).

As the I cracked open the first icy can I noticed that the beer is brewed from Yakima Valley hops. Impressive I thought, and swiftly chugged half the can.

If you’ve spent as much time drinking, reflecting on, and talking about beers of different calibers, you know that when it comes to bottom-of-the barrel lagers, you can’t really get a feel for the taste of the beer until your 5th or 6th can (fortunately, they were going down quite nicely and I had no problem hitting that target).

I’ve stated openly on many occasions that although I love craft beer, I am absolutely NOT a beer snob as many of my fellow beer-bloggers proudly self-proclaim. The best beer for you is the beer you love best and there is a time and a place for even the lightest of lagers (don’t believe me, than spend a summer in Phoenix and tell me what you’d prefer poolside on an August afternoon, and imperial IPA or a Corona with a wedge of lime?).

With all of that said, I expected (and had every reason to expect) to very much dislike Rainier Beer...

That was not the case.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I liked it, or that I have plans to buy it again anytime soon, but I didn’t hate it.

It was unbearably light, it was only questionably alcoholic (even at my Professional status as a beer-drinker, I should feel SOMETHING after 5 beers), and it didn’t retain any of the crisp and refreshing ‘hop’ characteristics that the can boasts.

But it wasn’t terrible.

As I read up about the history of the brewery and the changes it underwent through the years I started to like their storied history as much (or more) than I liked the beer. It reminded me of my days in Chicago and of how I would occasionally enjoy an ice cold Old Style at Wrigley Field... Even as my roommates now make fun of me for bringing home Rainier, I remember being teased in Chicago for bringing home Old Style “you got Olde Style?? That’s not what you buy, the kind of beer you steal from you grandfather!!”

I digress.

The moral of the story (if there is one), and what I suppose I’m getting at with all of this rambling is that if the chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link, and Rainier is the weakest link in Seattle beer-chain... than Seattle is doing alright.

-Prost!
D.Lux

You can learn more about Rainier Beer by checking out their website here.

Who's comin' with me!?

2011-09-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

Two years ago I celebrated Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany

One year ago I celebrated Oktoberfest in Tempe, Arizona--a bit of a disappointment but I'm blaming that mostly on chronological proximity to my celebrations in Bavaria :)

This year...
I'll be celebrating Oktoberfest in Seattle's lively Fremont neighborhood

So I guess the question that remains is... who's comin' with me?

-Prost!
D.Lux

-It's a Store! -It's a Bar!

2011-09-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

-No, wait--It's BOTH!

Now that I'm somewhat settled in Seattle, with a place to call home and most of my boxes unpacked (read: pint glasses = unpacked, clothes = mostly still in boxes), it's time for me to seriously get down to the business of uncovering all of this great beer-culture that I've heard Seattle-ites have in their blood!

Now I know there are a lot of heavy hitters out there, names that are established throughout the region (and beyond) but before I can start doing my rounds of the Elysians, and the Pyramids, and the Red Hooks of the area, I need to take care of something much, much, more important... I need to find my local bottle shop.

Although I love visiting breweries "on assignment" for the B.D.T. the majority of the "market research" I do takes place right in the comfort of my humble abode with a home cooked meal, and a 22 oz bottle of whatever happened to pique my interest on my most recent visit to a local bottle shop. A high-quality local bottle shop is simply VITAL to the success of the Brew Dork Times (and the appeasement of my palate!)

With that said, a few nights ago I laced up some comfortable shoes, grabbed a street map, a pen, and a pad of papper, and hit the streets. I knew there was a neighborhood a short stroll from my place called Wallingford, that was said to be rife with restaurants, bars, and other commerce. I decided to start there, and set out immediately feeling sublime.

It can be hit and miss when looking of a good bottle shop but my experience in Seattle (limited as it may be) suggests that the task will be very, very easy. Not a mile from my house I happened upon BottleWorks, a beer store, with a license to pour. Bottle works offeres almost a thousand different brews (950 at last count!) and it that wasn't enough, keeps a rotating tap of eight craft brews.

To add to the draw, the atmosphere is wonderful. It's a narrow store with long tables running down the middle flanked by seven-foot industrial beer refrigerators on either side. The very knowledgable Travis was tending bar at the far side of the store where you could grab a pint, have opened any bottle in house (for a minimal corkage fee 1-3 bucks at most), or even fill a custom BottleWorks growler from the tap to take away and enjoy at home! Matching the overall atmosphere the clientel was casual, relaxed, and warm.

I revisited two days later and struck up a conversation with Lowel, a fellow craft-beer-phile, and he gave me a whole new list of beer points-of-interest to add to my list!

I was tremendously satisfied with Bottleworks, and I will most certainly be back.

Oh, and if all that wasn't enough, as I was checking out, I found casually sitting on the counter a fresh stock of Pliney the Elder.... Americas #1 Beer... SOLD.

Bottleworks gets 3/3rd's full pint glass!

Prost!
-DLux

View Bars, Bottleshops, and Breweries in a larger map

Days and Breweries: Welcome to Seattle

2011-08-14T23:01:00.000-07:00

Days in Seattle: 1
Breweries Visited: 1

How long do you think I can keep the 1:1 ratio going??

I think I smell a challenge!!
Today was my first day in Seattle and for dinner I visited a brewery around the corner from my apartment. Here's the skinny.. Their Pale Ale = a waste of time...

Honestly, after trying it I was afraid to press on.

That said, I ordered another beer, one of their three IPA's on tap (having three house-brewed IPA's on draft was a promising sign!!). I had the Scorpion at Rick's recommendation.

Just when I thought Big Time couldn't make anything worse than their IPA, I tasted Scorpion, and they TOTALLY REDEEMED THEMSELVES!!

After such an epic taste-turn-around I had to try one more. My last beer (of the night) was their Porter. Rich, robust, chocolate-ie, and delicious. Good show Big Time, Good show...

So glad that after a weak start, BigTime came through on the beers that really mattered. Even more glad that Seattle breweries are battin' a thousand. I will keep you posted on the new-brew territories of the Pacific Northwest!

Prost!
-DLux

Samuel Adams Brewery Tour

2011-08-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

I was in Boston for part of a vacation last week and while in town I had two goals...

Take in a game at Fenway
Visit the home of one the countries largest craft-breweries, the Boston Beer Company.

Almost there!

I'm happy to report I accomplished both of those goals!

I've toured a lot of breweries but very few outside the Southwest. Being from Maine originally Sam Adams has a special place in my heart. I had high hopes for the brewery tour and although the tour was somewhat unimpressive (and a little too marketing-heavy) it was still nice to see where Jim Koch started his empire. That plus the fact that the tour was free (and included a generous amount of complementary beer to be enjoyed in the tasting hall) made the tour a-okay in my book.

Ashley in front of the brewery with hop vines adorning the patio

I like their "decorated" lobby.

The Barrel Room

Just add yeast and H2O...

Sad glass :(

Happy glass :)

Now that I'm back from Boston I'm trying to take in as much local Arizona craft beer as I can before I relocate to Seattle at the end of the month!!

-Prost!

D-Lux

On the move...

2011-08-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

The Brew Dork is on the move!

I'm being relocated by my day job to the heart of the beautiful Northwest, __________!

Lucky for me, _________ has now shortage of delicious microbreweries!!

-Prost!
DLux

Receipts

2011-07-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

I got back from the beer store, set down a couple heavy bags, sat down, and let out a sigh as I reviewed my receipt.

When I read the recently published "50 Best American Beers" as ranked by the American Homebrewers Association I saw a lot of very familiar beers, but I also saw many that I had never had (or hadn't had in a very long time) and even a few that (I felt ashamed to admit) I'd never even heard of.

I pride myself on my beer knowledge--a knowledge I work tirelessly to keep fresh--and I will not stand for being 'out of the loop' about Americas best beers. It was at that moment that I decided I would, as quickly as responsibly possible, try/re-try each and every beer on the list!!

A full stocked fridge!

As I sit her now reviewing my longer-than-desired receipt I started to question my decision. Did I buy this beer out for some noble desire to maintain my beer-savvy standards, or did I decide to drink each of the 50-best American beers as an excuse to drink more good beer...

I was stumped.

In an effort to stimulate my contemplation, I cracked a bomber of Stone Arrogant Bastard. Half way into this monster of a beer it occurred to me. Yes, I definitely decided to visit/revisit all of the beers on this list as an excuse to drink a whole lot more good beer, but then, I think that's why I started the Brew Dork Times in the first place!

And you know what, I'm okay with that.

Enjoy the good ones--Prost!

-DLux

50-best American beers you say?

2011-07-05T21:04:00.000-07:00

I think I'll have one of each!

Perusing the 50-best American beers of 2011 as shared on Facebook by Kyle, I thought to myself, those sound good, I think I'll have them!

The first beer I crossed off the list was Bear Republics' Racer IPA... and a good first beer it was!

Yellow-orange in color and moderately cloudy I was unsure of this low-carbonation beer at first. However, upon taking in my first waft of this brew I knew I was in for a treat. It had a nice white head, and good lacing and the aroma was brilliant. It reminded me of a toned-down version of Green Flashs' IPA. Unlike Green Flash, in this IPA the hops were much more subtle and don't hit the palate until the end. The dominant flavors were rich fruit flavors like pear, mango, tangerine, and a hint of green apple.

It sounds weird to say it aloud, but the adjective that most comes to mind when I think about this beer is "Juicy". Actually, that's not too far off. Bear Republic has produced one uber-ripe fruit of a beer (don't get me wrong, this is not a fruit beer, and it isn't sweet (read, there is no residual sugar) but it does have strong fruit aromas).

It's super tasty and the 7% ABV doesn't in anyway stand out as overpowering or out of place. This is a great beer and a perfect example of a "real" beer, that can enjoyed in the AZ summers with out knocking you on your ass.

3/3rds Full Pint Glass!

Prost!

-DLux

Meet Kyle, the newest member of the BDT

2011-06-23T18:01:00.000-07:00

It is with great honor that I introduce you to the newest member of the Brew Dork Times family, Kyle Merritt.

I asked Kyle a few questions about his passion for good beer to give you a idea of his commitment to the fine beverage. Here's what he had to say:

DLux: How are you involved with beer. What qualifies you as a 'brew dork'?

Kyle: First of all my involvement with beer has everything to do with my passion and pursuit of a "great beer". Besides being an enthusiastic home brewer, I have a deep love for great taste. I think we as fellow beer connoisseurs know that familiar feeling after that first sip of a fine beer which leaves us with a chilling sensation. I love this feeling; in fact, I am in love with this feeling. There are three things in life that I truly enjoy: great friendships, great sex.....and a fucking great drink.

DLux: If you were a beer, which beer would you be?

Kyle: If I was a beer I would be a Tripel Karmeliet. Which is an Abbey Tripel beer by Brouwerij Bosteels, a monastery brewery in Buggenhout, Belgium. The beer is clouted with irony. Here you have a beer that is brewed by devout monks, which makes me think that they apparently are fantastic at two things: loving our dear lord Hey-Zeus Christo and making fantastic fucking beer. Nevertheless, the irony lies in the fact that drinking is discouraged by the church. Drinking is not a transgression, but intoxication of such fine beverages is indeed a crime. All the while Monks, yes Monks, give us sinners a marvelous refreshment to enjoy, and enjoy it we do. They discourage murder, but yet give us the knife. Are we to blame!?

DLux: Care to share a beer-related story with us?

Kyle: I cannot say I have one particular story about beer. Instead, I have hundreds. This is what is so incredible about beer. In the words of Mark Twain, "Sometimes too much to drink is barely enough." A pint always leaves us with countless stories, countless memories that we shall never fail to recall. However, let's be honest we do unfortunately forget, yet another reason to love grown-up juice. But worry not, there is always some asshole to remind us. An ordinary day can always be transformed into an extraordinary day with the start of a lovely pint. A few fine beers turns any short story into a novel. "Good people drink good beer"

Good people drink good beer indeed--welcome aboard Kyle!

Prost!

-DLux

Summer of beer

2011-06-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

Some people like Hefeweisen, some prefer an ice cold pilsner. For me, nothing says summer better than a delicious Pale Ale.

I recently cracked two new Pale Ales, and as I expected I would, enjoyed both thoroughly!

The first PA I had was Fire Rock Pale Ale by Kona Brewing company of Kona, Hawai'i. This beer had big round hops (are you sure this isn't an IPA?) and a nice soft orange blossom aroma. The color was a nice amber, burnt-orange peel color and the head was rich and frothy. Between the high hop kick, and 6% ABV punching power, it isn't necessarly a beer you want to be tossing back poolside, but it is certainly a nice heavy but-not-too-heavy summer option.

The second PA I had was Red Chair NWPA from Deschutes Brewery of Bend, OR. Similar to the Kona, the North West Pale Ale was light in color and more orange than red. The hops were much less subdued. Whereas the Fire Rock came off as a toned down IPA, the Red Chair was more of a suped-up Pilsner. With lower hops, and smoother flavor, this was definitely a better poolside BBQ option!

The both get 2/3's Pint Glass ratings from me.

Prost!
-DLux

Things That Make You Go "Hmmmmm"

2010-10-29T12:59:00.000-07:00

My good friend Mark "The Brewstraveller" invited me over to his pad to try what he said was sure to be the "most unorthodox, ill-advised (brilliant) food and beer pairing ever." With an invitation like that, how could I say no?!

His gastronomic offering lived up to the hype (and then some!) Read the full review on The Brewstravellers Website!

Prost!
-D.Lux

Skál

2010-10-28T23:49:00.000-07:00

Brew Dork Times field agent (and fellow beer-lover) Andrew just returned from a trek around the world.

(B.D.T. World-Traveling Field Agent Andrew)

During his travels he encountered a wide variety of different beers. Some of the most unique beers (if not the highest of quality) came from Iceland. Check um out!

As I don't know anything about Icelandic beers, I did a little Q & A with Andy to get a feel for the nations brews.

D. Lux: How was the Icelandic beers?

Andrew: They all sucked.

D. Lux: How about the Polar Bear beer, it looked pretty good?

Andrew: The Polar Beer left me cold.

D. Lux: Fair enough, but that Viking beer looks kinda bad ass...

Andrew: Viking I think was non-alcoholic...or at least it tasted that way,

D. Lux: Alright Andrew, I'm loosing faith fast here.. Please tell me the Thor was awesome?!?

Andrew: .... You'd think a beer named after the thunder god would have more spark...

D. Lux: **sigh** Oh, well... They can't all be Belgian :-/

Thanks for the field report Andrew!

-Skál
D.Lux

P.S. On a side note, it has been pointed out that Thor might actually be Danish

P.P.S.S. Another cool thing Andy shared with me was a website that tells how to say Prost! or, er 'Cheers' around the world. Check it out here!

P.P.P.S.S.S. (is that even the way you're supposed to write multiple P.S.'s ??) I kinda paraphrased this entire post. Don't hold anything against Andrew if you don't like the way this post is written!

PROST!

Mingling with celebrities...

2010-10-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

Mingling with celebrities is just one more of the perks of being a being a successful beer-blogger!

Now, if only I can only get him to give the BDT a shout out to his almost 50 thousand fans on FB...

-Prost
D.Lux

For more information about ZANE check out his website!

Holy Crap!

2010-10-17T21:41:00.000-07:00

The Brew Dork Times 1-year anniversary came and passed and I totally forgot to celebrate!

Oh well, like I always say "better late than never!!"

12-months running is definitely something I can raise a glass to!!

Prost!
-D.Lux

Don't be misled...

2010-10-03T05:06:00.000-07:00

If you have been following my posts, you might be led to the conclusion that I'm not drinking much beer in London, and that those beers sampling have for the most part been cheap inport lagers... That has simply not been the case...

The truth is closer to the oposite. I frequent pubs daily and make my number one priority to order an ale that I've never tried, if they offer one (and I'm pleased to find that they almost always have one on draught that I've never tried!)

Much as I feared before departing, I was simply too busy to post much in the way of posts. In addition to my heavy workload, I started yet another blog (specifically for my time in London) and that has occupied most of my blogging time.

I'm down to my last few days in the United Kingdom, once I return, I will make every effort to get back to blogging more frequently!

Prost!
-D.Lux

Family Reunion...

2010-09-18T03:35:00.000-07:00

An American walks into a bar...

2010-09-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

So yesterday after work I found myself in a pub (yes, again) and I at the recommendation of one of the patrons I tried a pint of Spitfire.

My new friend said it was quite tasty, and I have to say, he was quite right!

Prost!
-D.Lux

After a succession of cheep, crappy beers...

2010-09-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed a couple of terrific English Ales last night!
The first was an organic pale ale by Witchwood Brewery-

-and a strong ale called Old Thumper (I use that term lightly because for a West Coast Imperial Hop-Head like myself, a 5.6 is hardly a 'strong' ale).

Again--no notes, but sometimes a brew dork has to leave the notebook in the drawer, and just enjoy the beverage for what it is: a simple, delicious, beverage.

-Prost!
D.Lux

Two Brewers!

2010-09-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

I met the proprietor of Two Brewers today. His name is Paul, he's a real nice guy, and although he doesn't brew any beer he does have a pretty cool little pub. Best part about the pub? It's a 5 minute walk from my front door step!

Cheers Paul,
-Prost!
D.Lux

Only a few more!

2010-09-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, only a few more crappy lagers before I get into the good stuff--I swear!

Saturday was Ohio State football day so I cracked open a few coldies, and enjoyed the game streaming online. I didn't take any tasting notes on these beers (I had had a few already by the time I cracked them) but I don't think I would have had too much to say anyway!

Now, time to crack into the English Ales!

Prost!
-Dan

Another cheep Polish beer!

2010-09-10T11:54:00.000-07:00

Tried another of the cheep Polish beers I picked up at the corner store arriving. This one was every bit as good as the first--which is to say not very!

In anycase, it was beer, so I drank it!

-Prost!
D.Lux

London Town!

2010-09-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes,

I said it once, and I'll say it again, I'm going to London-town!
London is home to so many great things. Here you can find world-class theatre, top-notch shopping, history, culture, fantastic dining options, and of course, and abundance of pubs.

When I first arrived two days ago I was jet-lagged and exhausted but forced myself to do a four-corner lap of my periphery. I found on the four-corners of my block, a pub, another pub, a brewery, and yet one more pub... I'm going to get along just fine here I thought... and then proceded to sleep soundly for 13 hours.

Jet-lag gone, and the swing of things well under way I've already put down a few beers (some English, the majority imports).

The first beer I've had the discipline to photograph and give some thoughts to was Tyskie Grand Prix, a 5.6 % lager imported from Poland.

Was it good? Not really. Did I care? Not really. It was cold, refreshing, and after a long day at the office, all I really wanted.

Lots more to come in the next month, stay tuned!

-Prost!
D.Lux

Canada eh!?

2010-09-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

As I said in a previous post, I'm London-bound!

What I didn't know when I posted that I'd be living in the UK for a month was that I'd be spending a night in Toronto on the way. My trip to 'the most culturally diverse metropolitan area in North America' was SHORT (less than 24 hours from Pearson Int'l-to-Pearson Int'l) but you better believe I found time to sample a local beer!

Actually, as I arrived late, and to be at work early the next morning I had just 'a' local beer (I know, I know, how un-committed of me :-/ ).

Regardless, the one local beer I tried was Rickard's Red. It's Canada's number one selling 'red' ale, it's been brewed for 25 years, and it's thoroughly unimpressive :-( :-(

It's sweet... unpleasantly so. It has a Cheery Doctor Pepper, or Cheery Cola taste to it. The carbonation falls flat, the lacing on the head is mediocre, and it doesn't taste fresh (and I have to imagine it was about as fresh as Rickard's Reds come). There was no hint of hops, barley, or bready-yeast. No depth = bad beer!

Canada may not be renoned for it's fantastic beer production, but as a country that consumes massive amounts of the beverage, I have to say I felt let down. Oh well, you can't win them all. I guess I'll just have to hope for better brews in London!

-Prost!
D. Lux

The Brew Dork is a Beer Wench featured Blogger!

2010-08-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

The title says it all! Check out Drink With the Wench's latest featured blogger!

-Prost!

Dan

oh Papago, how I love thee...

2010-08-18T13:47:00.001-07:00

enjoying a delicious Green Flash Hop Head Red!

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GYO!

2010-08-16T01:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, I've got a really cool one for you today! Before I stole my first sip, sneaked my first sniff or broke the bottle open I already knew I was in for a treat... You see Rogue is always doing cool things in the world of craft beer and the Chatoe Rogue Dirtoir Black Lager is no exception!

The main reason I picked up this beer in the first place was fact that it was a Black Lager (I mean, how frequently do you get the opportunity to drink a black lager?). After reviewing doing a through review, the fact that it was a black lager turned out to be the least interesting thing about the beer! More interesting to me was the acronym GYO which paraded prominently around the circumference of the label. GYO stands for Grow Your Own and proudly proclaims that this beer in it's entirety is a product of the Rogue Brewing Company...

Now, I could write 10 posts on why the concept of an 'estate grown' beer is so cool but the fact of the matter is that very few of my readers are as geeky about this stuff as I am so I'll limit myself to a humble paragraph.

The craft beer industry is founded on choosing QUALITY over QUANTITY. It's about home-grown goodness... Hand-picked ingredients selected not because they have the highest yield or the best price but because they are of the finest quality and will produce the best tasting beer! The craft beer industry is about consuming local beers, made from sustainably-produced, NATURAL-ingredients... Ingredients that are combined with love to create beer that's not only unique within the global beer-market, but unique to the very sun and soil of the place where it was created! The French call this characteristic terroir but apparently Rogue prefers the earthier term, Dirtoir!

Knowing as I do that Rogue is committed to producing quality beers I shouldn't be shocked by this beer, but I still can't help but be surprised to see it readily available on Arizonian shelves and at a competitive price.

So how does it taste? All this talk about what a special process the production is doesn't mean much if the end result is a mediocre beer right? Well, fortunately for me, this beer is far from mediocre!

It pours a rich dense jet-black color with a nice tan head. The flavor is much more robust than I had expected from a lager. There are aromas of dark-roasted, whole-bean coffee, bitter-sweet chocolate, and rich malted hops. There's also a smokey aroma that comes through on the nose and again on the palate. The mouth-feel is clean and round, and the flavor profile is dense with malt and coffee.

The only thing that would have made drinking this beer more enjoyable would have been consuming it at the brewery, enjoying a plate of farm-to-the-table plate cuisine with old friends and a perhaps few new ones. So do yourself a favor, go down to your local farmers market, pick up some in-produce, call up some friends, and pick up a bottle or two of this beer from your local craft beer vendor. Cook, open, and enjoy.

-Prost!
D.Lux

P.S. Take a look at the label.. they give the latitude and longitude of the hop and barley farms-how cool is that!?! For more info about this gem check out the official Rogue Website.

London Town!

2010-08-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

There have been a lot of new developments in the Brew Dork's life, the most exciting of which is that I will be spending the month of September living and working in London!! Not to pass up a good opportunity I'm going to dedicate next month's post to all things British! Expect to see posts about all types of beers, pubs, and beer drinking events from across the pond!

I'll be a busy Dork with my 'real job' but I'll do my best to crank out as many posts as possible while I'm over there :)

-Prost!
D.Lux

awe snap!

2010-08-07T16:45:00.001-07:00

testing. testing one, brew, three.
i now have blogger on my smart phone. let the mobil blogging begin!!
prost!
d.lux

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'tis the Season for a Saison!

2010-07-27T22:06:00.000-07:00

You may say I'm biased and well, you may be right...

The fact is, I have a bit of a thing for the Ommegang Brewery. Every time I try one of their beers I expect that I'll like it, and the funny thing is, I usually do.

Their Saison style ale, Hennepin, pours a lovely bright golden wheat color. It bursts with tiny bubbles that stir up a rich white head like freshly whipped milk.

The aromas that first reach the nose are of citrus, honeydew melon, peaches and pears. Secondary aromas of white grape, sun-dried apricots, and yogurt come through later as the swirling carbonation unlocks its full profile in my tulip-shaped glass-boy is this one tasty!

There's a bready/yeasty backbone like that of a well made Champagne that gives structure to the mouthfeel and the sweet fruit flavors are balanced by a slightly sour mash that make for an exceptionally well balanced final product. The last thing I catch as I savor the last few sips are subtle notes of vanilla.

Definitely give this one try and if you like it, be sure to check out their Abby Ale!

-Prost!
D.Lux

The Brew Dork Times is on the MAP!

2010-07-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

...The beer-bloggers map that is.

View Beer Bloggers in a larger map

Thanks Billy for putting this together!
-Prost!
D.Lux

Shipyard Brewing Announces Brewing Vacations!

2010-07-06T16:59:00.000-07:00

Check out what my beer-blogging-buddy Dave (of South Florida Beer Blog) found:

Have you ever wanted to go a play baseball with your old heroes or go play in a jamband with some old rockstars? No? Well, me either. Shipyard though has come up with something for those of us whose passion is beer. Shipyard is offering a Maine Brewing Vacation. The vacation offers you the chance to actually brew a beer at Shipyard's brewpub in Kennebunk and get a behind the scenes tour of the full Shipyard brewery in Portland. Here is the full itinerary and pricing.

AVAILABILITY

January through May (Tues-Thurs or Wed-Fri)
Must be booked a minimum of 2 weeks in advance.

COST

$800 for double
$600 for single
$300 for single (not including lodging)
THIS ALL-INCLUSIVE PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Two nights lodging at the King’s Port Inn in Kennebunk
• Special welcome reception and dinner the night of arrival
• Two lunches
• The chance to brew with award-winning professionals
• A behind the scenes tour of Shipyard Brewing Company

SCHEDULE

Day 1: Arrive in Kennebunk for a special reception and dinner at Federal Jack’s Brew Pub that evening

Day 2: 7:00am – 3:30pm Brew at Kennebunkport Brewing Company (Lunch will be served at Federal Jack’s. Guests are free to enjoy exploring the area that evening.)

Day 3: 10:30am Behind the scenes tour of the Shipyard Brewing Company followed by lunch at the Sea Dog Brewing Company in South Portland

To Book Call 1-800-BREW-ALE

Thanks for the great find Dave! And the rest of you, be sure to check out all the other great beer-events listed on at Daves blog at: http://www.southfloridabeerblog.com/

-Prost!
D.Lux

'Merica!

2010-07-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

On this great day that is Independence Day, I'm reviewing a truly patriotic beer, an dry-hopped American IPA. I'm reviewing a beer that is very special to me because it is a beer that I made. It's my first home brew, and it's called Amateur Hour IPA.*

I have to admit, when the BrewsTraveller and I were brewing this beer we made a few mistakes (okay, we made A LOT of mistakes). I'm not sure why we made so many mistakes; maybe it was because it was our first attempt, maybe it was because we drank too many beers during the brewing process, or maybe it had something to do with the fact that we spent more time debating different names than actually reading the recipe. Whatever the reason, the fact is that we made so many mistakes during the brewing process, that after capping the last bottle and storing it out-of-site (to sit for the three weeks necessary for the priming sugars to properly bottle ferment and carbonate our beer) we both had serious doubts as to whether or not the final product would even be drinkable. After cracking a bottle (okay, more than a few bottles--you gotta do your QC right?) I am happy to report that against all odds, our first batch was a success!

Here's the rundown,
Color: Light, hazy, copper color

Head: Rich, thick, creamy, off-white head

Aroma: Hop-heavy (we used three different kinds of hops), and sharp, with pine aromas and a hint of green apple.

A.B.V.: Only God knows (one of our many mistakes involved eliminating any possibility of properly gauging the alcohol content. Using my acute powers of perceptions I'd have to guess it around 6 per cent. And if you're curious, the science behind said 'acute powers of perception' roughly translates to "well, I've had a few and I feel a little buzz, but not a big buzz...")

Okay, so subjectively speaking, it's not great, but after making it from scratch makes I feel it taste far better than if I had purchased it in a store. I can't wait to brew my next batch!

I hope you're enjoying a brew of your own today, whether it be home-brewed, craft-brewed, or hell, even mass-brewed. Whatever you're drinking, raise a glass, and cheers to the Red, the White, and the Brew!

-Prost!

D.Lux

*When it came to naming our beer, the only thing that Sully and I ever agreed on was that we should wait until we taste it before we make our final decision on the name. Since I'm writing this now and he's four thousand miles away in Spain, I'll take the liberty of going with the name that I liked best. :)

I'm Green with envy...

2010-06-30T20:20:00.000-07:00

If there's anything that can take the edge of a far-to-early US exit from the World Cup it's a cold, delicious, California IPA, and when it comes to California IPAs, Green Flash knows whats up! Before I even cracked the bottle the label has me feeling weak in the knees: 95 IBUs, 7.2 ABV, the warning that the beer is 'extravagently hopped"... this is gonna be good!

I had this beer for the fist time two months ago after touring the brewery. When I sipped it I was 30 yards from the tank in which it was fermented. I was in the company of the hard working men and women that toiled--pain-staking--in their labor of love to make the beverage. I swished and swallowed while the warm Southern Californian sun peaked through the garage door entrance and a hint of salty ocean air flirted with the aromas of malted hops in my nostrils.

People say that your perceptions of taste and smell are dramatically affected by your physical surroundings. If that's true, then I would have every reason to believe that even though I enjoyed Green Flashs' West Coast IPA tremendously when first tasting it, I shouldn't expect that upon drinking twelve ounces of it alone in my quite kitchen that it would find it to be anything more than 'above average'.

Well if ambience is a true test of a beers character, then GF's West Coast IPA passes with flying colors! Simply put, it's fantastic. It has a big, green, hop flavor. It is wonderfully sharp with a bitter bite upfront and a smooth creamy finish. It has deep aromas of citrus and pine. It has a beautiful golden pumpkin color and tiny effervescent bubbles. It's balanced from beginning to end. It's silk in a pint glass. This is the beer that I want to make. Teach me Chris, teach me!!

I give this beer a 3/3rds full pint glass rating-all the way!

-Prost!
D.Lux

P.S. To visually illustrate how I feel about Green Flash's West Coast IPA I've included a clip from the movie Beerfest, enjoy!

To miss this beer, would be very un-weiss...

2010-06-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

Before I get started please accept my I sincerest apologies for the painfully corny title... I couldn't help myself. Now, on to the beer!

I recently tried Unertl Weissbeir, a German Hefe that's much darker in color, lighter in carbonation, and lower in acidity than its average American counterpart. In the beverage world less-acidic frequently translates to less-refreshing but I'm happy to report that with this beer, that is not the case! The lightness of weight on the tongue and the freshness of the flavor on the palate keeping it from coming off as flabby or bland in the absence of biting acidity and the traditional hefeweisse flavors, make it surprisingly refreshing!

Without taking anyth

ing away from this beer, or it's trueness-to-style I have to say that I feel like this beer could be described as being half way in between a hefeweisen and a pale ale. It had the flavors of a hefe, the dried wheat and bitter orange peal, but it also shared the light, clean, easy-drinking qualities of a simple Ale.

Weiss beers are not one of my preferred styles, but like gin or aged rum, at the end of a long hot day, it just seems right. As I glance at the weeks weather forecast I seven days with highs in the triple digits (two past the 110 mark) I sigh and think to myself, I better stop by the liquor store after work tomorrow and pick up a bottle of Brugal, and a twelver of Weissbeir.

A good beer, in a good bar, what can beat that?

-Prost!
D.Lux

Heartbreak...

2010-06-26T19:25:00.000-07:00

The high that I enjoyed while the US Soccer Team fought their way upstream to the top of their group came to an abrupt and painful end today as Ghana proved to be the better team, delivering a knockout blow to the US for a second consecutive World Cup... I'll continue to watch the games, of course, but it won't be the same knowing that the Stars and Stripes will have to wait at least four more years to prove to the world that we can produce a first-rate, world class team.

As sad as I am right now, I'm still very happy for the success that the US team did have, in overcoming the doubts, strong critics, and painfully egregious calls that they faced in the first round.

Standing tall this morning, singing the National Anthem out loud with a bar full of Team USA enthusiasts, I knew that win or loose, I was proud of this team, and I was proud to be American!

Thanks for the great show guys,
-Prost!
D.Lux

Darn You W.C.!

2010-06-16T21:56:00.000-07:00

How's a beer blogger supposed to keep current with all this great soccer on TV!?

Will try to get back into it a bit, but posts will be thin till after July 11th :-/ You understand, right?

-Prost!

D. Lux

Pro-mo!

2010-06-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest promo!

Feel free to pass it around ;)

-Prost!

D.Lux

Catch-up time!

2010-06-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

I've got a lot of catching up to do. I've barely scratched the surface of all of the beers, breweries, and beer-bars visited during the Brewstravellers inaugural SoCal Brew Tour last month and now I have to 'add to the list' a whole slew of good beers and bars visited and sampled in Seattle and Vancouver last weekend with A-Ray and friends (boy is my job hard).

Also much of my time currently occupied by The Beer Pages, a second site that I've been putting together over the past week.

I'll do my best to up the post frequency so that I can get up you up to speed on some of the great beers I've been discovering!

-Prost!
D.Lux

Deschutes Cascade Ale

2010-06-01T00:26:00.000-07:00

This weekend I tried Deschutes Cascade Ale. The lable says it's: "Clean and crisp, with an herbal hop character and a smooth malt profile. A light-hearted citrus finish makes this the perfect thirst quencher." Unfortunately 'thirst quencher' is the part of this description that I'd agree with most...

The color was very light, with little carbonation. The head was thin and disappeared almost completely shortly after pouring the beer into a pint glass. The aroma was mild, slightly malty, and not very hoppie at all.

Don't get me wrong, Deschutes is among my favorite breweries in the country but (at least on a complexity scale) I feel that this is one of the least impressive efforts. It's a fine session beer for the summer, but nothing fantastic.

-Prost!

D.Lux

Duvel Belgian Golden Ale

2010-05-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

I try a lot of different beers for the Brew Dork Times. I try small batch beers, beers from breweries that are younger than I am, beers that are made using unusual ingredients, and by non-traditional methods. I try local beers from Arizona, beers from breweries across the country, and beers made by guys named Stew who had a little extra room in their garage and a healthy curiosity about home-brewing... Today however, I tried (or rather 're-tried') a beer that has none of these characteristics. Today, I had a Duvel Belgian Golden Ale!

After having Duvel again for the first time in a while I have only one thing to say. If you have never tried it go buy a bottle. Don't finish this blog, don't wait until the laundry is dry, your work day is over, or the kids are fed. Go to the nearest craft beer supplier, buy a bottle, and drink it.

I'll get into the flavor description in a minute, but in all honestly, it doesn't matter what I say. Regardless as to whether you read my impression of this beer as having a hearty and uber-yeasty mouth-feel and think, 'boy that sure sounds tasty' or 'yuck, I'll have none of that!' you should still go out and try it. I don't want to imply that Duvel is Belgium's greatest beer (it's not by a long shot). The reason I'm so adamant about you trying this beer is that it is a quintessential example of what a Belgian Blond Ale should be. For that reason alone, you need to know it!

Okay, I'll probably rant and rave about the greatness of Belgian beers a whole lot from time to time, but for now I'm going to reign it in and get back to the matter at hand.... how it tastes!

Duvel exits the bottle with a bang. The brewery recommends you enjoy the beer from one of their signature tulip shaped glasses, and that you pour the beer to the bottom of the glass at an angle that allows a rich head to develop. The beer is bottle aged which means that the co2 (bubbles) are not pumped into still beer, but rather enriched within the bottle. This creates an intense effervescence similar what you get with a true Champagne. The color is a beautiful rich golden-lemon color. It literally shimmers in the light. The bubbles are (I know, I know I'm a little 'hung up' on the bubbles but they're really quite fantastic) tiny and amazingly persistent.

The aroma as I mentioned earlier is hearty and yeasty (is someone baking bread in here or is it just the beer?) There's also a sour note on the nose. The flavors are rich, creamy, and smooth. The high alcohol level (8.5% ABV) is well balanced and doesn't take away from the taste.

This is definitely a food beer and although I'm sure you could get extremely creative with food-pairings, to me this beer just begs for a decent cheese plate.

Overall, is this my favorite beer? Most certainly not. Is it a damn good beer? You bet your ass it is! Enjoy!

-Prost!

D.Lux

The Nectar of the Gods

2010-05-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, I must confess. I picked the title for this blog 80 per cent because I liked the way it sounded and 20 per cent because of its accurate description of the beer I reviewed. That said, Red Nectar by Nectar Ales is still pretty damn tasty!

When Nectar Ales first came onto the beer scene I was in kindergarten. The year was 1987. The craft beer revolution was just budding in the States, and the folks at Nectar Ales were all too happy to do a their share of trail-blazing. The very fact that today, more than 20 years later, they still command a strong following, is testament to their commitment to produce consistent, high-quality, beers year after year.

Without further groveling, here's my review of their Red Nectar, Amber Ale!

Rather than 'red' it poured a very autumnal burnt-pumpkin color. Out of the bottle it was very effervescent but within a few minutes the majority of the bubbles had dissipated (that said, the small well of extra-fine bubbles that survived the first few minutes did persist quite nicely through out my consumption).

Upon tasting, I noticed it was very low on the hop-scale but compensated with pleasant notes of sweet caramel malt and it had a rich creamy mouth feel.

Perhaps the thing I enjoyed most about this beer was the bouquet. It had a very natural aroma of grass and fresh cut flowers (think: walking through a dewy meadow).

Red Nectar is fresh, clean, and easy drinking, and delicious. The only thing that would have made it better, would be if it had been served with melons wrapped in prosciutto! (oh boy, would that have been delicious!)

This amber ale gets a 2/3rds full Pint Glass from me-definitely seek this beer out!

-Prost!

D.Lux

Putting the 'micro' in Microbrewery

2010-05-04T22:41:00.000-07:00

Alpine Beer Company in Alpine, Calfiornia definitely puts the 'micro' into Microbrewery. As you step into the tasting room at Alpine Beer Company it's difficult to tell if you have just entered a microbrewery, or the garage of an overly-enthusiastic home brewer. From the moment you step through the front door, until a half second later when you bump into the wall on the far end of the the tasting room, it's clear you've arrived at a 'cozy' operation.

There is a ‘proper’ tasting room in the works next door but until they’re able to get through the red tape set out by the city of Alpine, a small space separated from the fermenting tanks by a thin wooden bar serves as the tasting room. In house tasting is limited to four tastes per guest, sold at one dollar per taste. With over a dozen beers on tap the 4-tastes-per person limitation requires some serious weighing of options.

Now, it should be said that Alpine Beer Company was our first stop on the SoCal brewery tour and I was thirsty and sober. It should also be said that when you’re sober and extremely thirsty, you are prone to make poor choices about which beer to drink.

That said, I though it would be a good idea to try ‘Willy Vanilly’ an ultra-sweet, vanilla infused beer. Not only did this request incur ridicule from my tour-mates, but our bartender politely informed me that the Willy Vanilly was referred to by the staff as the L.P.D. or, liquid panty dropper... Great.

Beyond the LPD mishap I throughly enjoyed everything that Alpine made, and by the steady stream of people coming in to fill growlers, it appears the locals enjoyed Alpine as well.

Because of its tiny size you’d be hard pressed to find this stuff anywhere outside of Southern California but if you’re in the greater San Diego Area, you owe it to yourself to make the trip to Alpine, CA.

Sign up for their news letter here and be the first to know when they finally get their proper tasting room open!

-Prost!

D.Lux

Too Much of a good thing!?

2010-04-26T23:22:00.000-07:00

Last week I joined Mark 'the Brewstraveller' on the inaugural SoCal Brewery tour! After touring 8 fantastic breweries in 4 days I can happily conclude that although your taste buds might not mind too much of a good thing, the liver has limits...

Breweries hit included:

1.) Alpine Brewing Co - Alpine, CA

2.) Coronado Brewing Co - San Diego, CA

3.) Ballast Point Brewing Co - San Diego, CA

4.) Stone Brewing Co - Escondido, CA

5.) The Lost Abby - San Marcos, CA

6.) Green Flash Brewing Co - Vista, CA

7.) Pizza Port Brewing Company - Solano Beach, CA

8.) Pizza Port Brewing Company - Carlsbad, CA

I'll be posting more details over the next couple of weeks!

Prost!

-D.Lux

Putting the 'Rue' in Bruery...

2010-04-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

I visited The Bruery in Orange County California two months ago. I was VERY impressed with the facilities... In fact I was so impressed, that I put off writing a review for fear that I would come off as a love-struck super fan. People might read my critique of their bar, and their beers and think that I had accepted a bribe. I can’t have people questioning my integrity I though, and so I didn’t write a review.

As time passes, memories fade, and eventually I realized that I couldn’t pinpoint exactly why I was so love-struck by my trip to the Bruery. Upon that realization, I promptly cracked open the White Oak Ale that had been sitting patiently in the back of my fridge for weeks. As I sipped and savored the robust, creamy ale I instantly remembered why I had enjoyed my trip to the Bruery so much the previous month... Re-inspired I thought again about what I would want to say in a review, and again I hesitated. I couldn’t gush about how the Bruery sets out samples of organic hop pellets, lavender, and barley on their bar so that you can feel and smell the ingredients pre-production as you tasting the final product. I couldn’t wax on about the fact that the tasting room is located in the brewery, or about how you can hang your coat on a bourbon barrel while you enjoy award winning beers. If I wrote a review about how all of the employees were friendly, engaging, and inspiring, readers would think I’d accepted a job as their new PR rep and might stop taking my reviews seriously, wouldn’t they?

Well, if thats the case, than so be it.!

Quite simply, if you are in Southern California, you need to look this place up--The beers, the people, and the venue* are all top notch!

As I told the bartender, this is my happy place!

-Prost!
D.Lux

*Go soon--the word on the street is that late this spring the tasting room will be moving from the brewery to an external location. Sure the beer will still be delicious, but it won’t taste quite as delicious as we you could drink it 20 feet away from where it was made!

Where was this site when...

2010-03-23T17:48:00.001-07:00

Where was this site when I was promoting the Puppies and Beer event!

-Prost!

D. Lux

Stuck Between Rock Bottom and a Great Brewery...

2010-03-18T22:30:00.000-07:00

I can't say anything too good or too bad about this microbrewery (in fact, I’m not sure I can even say it’s a ‘micro’brewery . It certainly produces better beer than other national 'chain' breweries (i.e. Rock Bottom Brewery) but I think it would be more than a stretch to call it’s production ‘artisanal’. The food is good, nothing special, but consistent and tasty, and the service (at least at the Tempe location) is about par.

The most enjoyable part of a visit to the Mill avenue location is not the service, the food or the beer for that matter, but rather the location. Perched on the second story of Southwest corner of Mill Avenue and 5th Street the brewery offers spacious seating indoors as well as outdoors on their wrap-around balcony. Sure it’s enjoyable to sit and sip their signature Marzen dark Bavarian Lager with friends, but it's immensely more enjoyable to do so while sitting n their balcony where you can breathe fresh air, and enjoy the sights, sounds, and all around chaos that is Mill avenue on a Friday without any risk of an overly enthusiastic ASU bar-goer throwing up on your shoes.

Definitely worth a try sometime!

-Prost!
D.Lux

Oak Creek Brewery; Terrific Food, Pretty Good Beer!

2010-03-10T21:41:00.000-08:00

Momma and Poppa 'Brew Dork' were in town for a few days and I took ful

l advantage of the chance to show them some of my favorite AZ brew-spots. First on the line up was Sedona for a delicious lunch at Oak Creek brewery followed by a scenic hike through the Coconino Forest.

Oak Creek Canyon is conveniently located in downtown Sedona only a few miles from some of the most scenic hikes in the state (which means that when you're done stuffing your face full of food and beer you don't have to sit in a car long before enjoying an arduous hike across the rugged red-rock trails!) Actually, after doing just that this past week I would recommend reversing the order on your brewery & hike day. Better yet, after you fi

nish you're last beer, skip the hike altogether and make your way over to the Sedona Fudge Company for dessert instead!

Overall, lunch at the Oak Creek Brewery is a great time. The decor feels old fashioned without coming off touristy, the staff is friendly and quick, and the food is quite terrific and priced reasonably. Sure their beer isn’t as good or as diverse as 4 Peaks, but if the battle was over who had the best beer-battered fries, Oak Creek would OWN 4 Peaks!

I got the days’s special; Italian sausage with fresh Mozzerela, grilled peppers, onions, marinara sauce, and a side of french fries - De-lish!

Papa Brew-Dork went with the Brat n’ Saurcraut... must be the German Heritage that keeps bringing him back!

Mama-Dork had the turkey club with slaw... a classic done right!

In my book, Oak Creek gets a solid 2/3rds full Pint Glass rating! If you’ve been to Oak Creek Brewery I want to know about your experience! Good or bad leave your opinion as a comment!

-Prost!

D.Lux

A Swift Kick in the Can

2010-03-02T21:53:00.000-08:00

As I pulled back the aluminum tab a splash of black liquid filled the rim of the can and I smelled aromas of expresso and alcohol. Still hungover from a three day binge in Las Vegas I started to second guess my decision to drink beer today (especially this beer). Alas, the seal had been broken, so there would be no turning back...

Oskar Blues Ten FIDY pours out of the can like motor oil; viscus, opaque and heavy. The beer is jet-black and has a deep toffy brown head. The flavors are rich and delicious with all of the usual Imperial Stout suspects present; roasted coffee beans, dark cocoa, vanila, and roasted malts. What surprised me most though, was what wasn't present. The beer didn't have any of the harshness or heat that I expected from this 10.5 % ABV monster. Oskar Blues' Ten Fidy gets a 3/3rds full Pint Glass rating!

This beer is damn tasty, but what I liked most wasn't the flavor but the packaging. I love that they chose to put this beer in a can. Cans have a bad reputation and it's entirely unjustified. Cans block out harmful sunlight. They seal the beer with less air contact, and they're easier to recycle than bottles. They're lighter and less costly to ship (less costly to producers and less costly to the environment!).

Expect to see more and more quality beers packaged in cans as consumers get over the negative misconceptions and start to understand the the value (much the way people warmed to the idea of Stelvin enclosures or 'Screw Cap' being used for quality wines).

-Prost!

D.Lux

I want to love Taste of Tops

2010-02-28T11:33:00.000-08:00

I want to love Taste of Tops, I really do. From the first time that I heard that my favorite liquor store was opening a sister bar I was thrilled. Wow, I thought, what potential! Unfortunately, every time I visit, I leave disappointed...

I’m not an easy judge of bars. I spent a decade working in the service industry and during that time I saw how a lot of great bars worked, and some mistakes that mediocre bars made over and over again. That said, here’s my review of Taste of Tops.

Tops Liquor doesn't sell more beers that Total Wine and the don't offer more liquor than BevMo... In fact, a lot of the time they don't even offer a lower price than their rivals. The reason that I continue to go there to buy my booze though, is that it is family owned and run, and it feels that way. It's not shiny and squeaky clean (although it is clean). It's a blue collar, working man's store, and staff are always friendly, helpful, and courteous. Whether you're buying a fine Scotch, or a thirty-rack of Keystone Light, they are friendly and they treat you with respect. Gosh, it's such a welcoming, egalitarian, warm store that I get a buzz just thinking about it... Which is why I was so excited when I heard that they would be opening a bar next door. Gee, I thought, if a bar existed that had all of those qualities, well, I might never leave!

I remember my first glance inside TOT just hours before open (I had my face pressed against the glass like a kid at a candy store). I saw the gleaming bar, the accent walls, and a smooth leather couch and thought, hmmm... that's not what I had expected. This looks more like Old Town Scottsdale than on University... Theres nothing wrong with a place that looks 'nice' but what I saw just didn't look comfortable... it looked rather ‘fresh out of the box’ and sterile like something put together buy a design team, not a bunch of guys that love beer but maybe don't know everything there is to know about design.

I've made quite a few visits to TOT and gotten over the fact that the chic decor isn't my favorite, but beyond the design, there are still a couple of things that still bug me. The first thing is the prices. Draft beers come in 10 and 16 ounce pours, and the prices range from 4-10 dollars. When I get my tab and I see that I paid 22 dollars for three beers, I sigh and think maybe I'll stay in next week instead. I understand that the product is better, but one thing I expected when I heard that a 'bar' with the buying power of a 'liquor store' was opening was value! You don't see that at Taste of Tops.

Like the chic decor, I can get over high prices. I'll gladly pay more if I perceive value in the service. Which brings me to my next point and my biggest point of angst. Plain and simple, the staff doesn't make me feel welcome. I've been to TOT almost a dozen times in the 5 months that it has been open. I know the names of the general manager and half of the staff but I have no idea if they know my name because they have never used it. In fact when I come in for my bimonthly visit I hardly get so much as a friendly nod. No handshake, not 'so good to see you back in here' nothing. A simple 'hello, what’ll it be?' is about all I have grown to expect (Where am I Applebees?) There are so many great bars, and so many great restaurant, that you need more than just a good beer list or a great location to stand out in the service industry. To be a great bar you need to have spectacular, rock star, jaw-dropping, make-you-want-to-text-all-your-friends-to-tell-them-about-how-cool-this-place-is service! The service at TOT isn’t rockstar, it’s bland, unenthusiastic, unwelcoming, and all around unremarkable. Thats it. I said it. If you're reading this, I'm sorry if I come off as harsh, but it's how I feel, and not from one experience, from many.

At the end of the day, I guess you have to take my words with grain of salt. With all of the negative things I say about Taste of Tops, I can't deny it's success. Every time I visit the bar is crowded and the cash till is ringing. If I took over and made all of the changes that I would love to see made, it's quite possible that the crowds would diminish and the profit line would dip. Sure I'd be happier, and there would probably be other old-school barflies like myself all too happy for words but it might not be as 'popular' of a bar as it is now. Oh well. Maybe when I have a million dollars in the bank I can lease a lot and do everything my way. Until then, I guess I’ll just enjoy the good that is there, the great beer selection and proximity to my house, and I won't get too worked up about a bar that didn't turn out the way I'd hoped.

Prost!
-D.Lux

The BREW DORK TIMES is getting a FACELIFT :D

2010-02-17T09:55:00.000-08:00

Thats right, we're movin' on up in the web-media world and upgradin' to a brand new site!

The new site is now live and can be found at www.BrewDorkTimes.com

I'll still be maintaining and updating this site [www.BrewDorkTimes.Blogspot.com] for all the die-hard blogger-fans, but the new home will now be at the newer, cooler, dare-I-say SEXIER, BrewDorkTimes.com!

So, come on over, check out our new digs, and be sure to let me know what you think!

-Prost!

D.Lux

Love it? Hate it? Let me know at BrewDorkTimes(at)gmail(dot)com.

THIS SATURDAY!

2010-02-08T15:16:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder, this Saturday is the 10th Annual Strong Beer Festival!

The event will be from 1pm - 5pm (VIP: Noon to 5pm) At Margaret T. Hance Park, Downtown Phoenix, above I-10 tunnel Festival Entrance at Moreland St. and 2nd St.

The event is a beer tasting featuring strong beers, but offering a wide variety of beer types and styles. Guests will receive a commemorative 4 ounce tasting glass and tickets for 15 samples. The event will also feature the 2 Tone Lizard Kings live. A good selection of food will be available for purchase.

VIP Entry at Noon for $50.00
VIP admission includes a voucher good for any one food item

General Entry at 1pm $35
Advance - $45 "day of" if available

Admission will be limited to avoid overcrowding. Designated Driver: $10 available only at the gate. MUST BE 21 OR OLDER FOR ADMISSION - Bring ID

Brewery's Participating

Santa Fe
Oak Creek
Gordon Biersch
Sierra Nevada
Four Peaks
San Tan
SunUp
Rock Bottom
Pizza Port
Old World
Beer Valley
Sleepy Dog
Grand Canyon
Stone
Barrio
Papago
Big Dog
Sonoran
Breckenridge
SKA
Big Sky
Shmaltz
Redstone
Bell's
New Belgium
Avery
Ell River
Port Brewing & Lost Abbey
The Bruery
Speakeasy
Left Hand
Oskar Blues
Prescott
Lagunitas
Dogfish Head
Full Sail
Deschutes
Az Soc. of Homebrewers
A-1 Beer Can Collectors Club
Lumberyard/Beaver Street
Silesia Brands
O'Dell
Firestone Walker
Kona
Widmer
Redhook
Green Mountain Cider
Thunder Canyon
Dave's Electric Brewpub
Coronado
Rock Art
Telegraph
more on the way.....

Check out the website for more info!

See you there,
Prost!
D.Lux

I talk about a lot of different stuff...

2010-02-06T16:33:00.000-08:00

Each week I review Breweries, individual beers, brew pubs, restaurants, beer-related websites, even booze-retail stores. Some of what I review is great and gets my highest recommendation, others fall-short of my expectations, and get a thumbs down. Recently I've been receiving emails requesting I add a rating system to my reviews. People want something quantifiable included with each review so that they can have a simple, boiled-down synopsis of my over all impression of an beer, brewery, etc, and of how I would rate it side by side with another. I like the idea of adding a standardized rating system to my site, but as I started to think about what system to use I realized that choosing a system to use would not be a cut and dry process. I'm not in love with any of the dozen or so rating systems currently being used so I'd have to make up my own, but as I started thinking about what type of rating-system to use I was torn between systems that were either overly complex, or too simple.

A thumbs-up/thumbs-down system is wonderfully for its convenience and simplicity but is so generic that it defeats the purpose of having a quick and informational summary of my review. On the other side of the coin a system that involves scoring beers or bars out of 100 possible points provides a much more accurate and specific review, but it invites the pretension and snobbery that the craft beer world has managed to avoid (for the most part). And in the end, the point of this blog is not to tell you what score a beer or bar gets. To make matters even more complicated, I wanted to create a system that could be used across the board, for anything I might happen to review so than I can avoid the clutter that might come with using multiple different rating systems for each of the different types of thing I would review (having one system for beers, another for breweries, and yet another for 'how my commute felt over-all that day' seems exhausting and unnecessary).

Finally, I am happy to report, that after much thought (and inebriated contemplation) I have found a system that satisfies all of my desires. It is simple, yet informational, quantifiable yet fun, and most importantly, relevant and usable across the bar (no pun intended) whether the item in review be a bar, brewery, or brew pub. I call it the Pint Glass System!

Here's how it works! Anything I review can earn one of four ratings: A Full Pint Glass, a 2/3 Full Pint Glass, a 1/3 Full Pint Glass, or an Empty Pint Glass. The best score that can be earned of course is a Full Pint Glass, and the lowest score is and Empty Pint Glass, because an empty pint glass is just glass :(

Full Pint Glass: Go now! Run!! This stuff is AWESOME!!!

2/3 Pint Glass: Great Stuff! Definitely check this stuff out soon!

1/3 Pint Glass: Worth a try sometime, good stuff.

Empty Pint Glass: Skip this one, with so much good stuff out there, don’t waste your time.

It's that simple :)

In the future I hope to add a function to my site that will allow visitors to view all of the beers, bars, and breweries that I have reviewed in a simple condensed format and control the display in accordance with their preferences (display only Full Pint Glass and 2/3 Full Pint Glass rated 'beers' or 'bars and breweries') but for now, that is way out of my web building capabilities (have patience, I'm new at this).

Okay, that's all for now, thanks for reading!

-Prost!

D.Lux

Colorado may not exist...

2010-02-06T14:32:00.000-08:00

I say that Colorado may not exist because for me, the state of Colorado frequently sounds too good to be true. Fresh air, beautiful mountain ranges, a healthy, friendly populace and dozens of great beer producers... I don't know about you but it all sounds a bit like a fairytale to me. And since I've never actually been there to see it with my own eyes, it's days like today, (as I sip back a few of the states wonderful beers) that I begin to consider whimsically that it may not really exist after all. Perhaps, I think as I day dream, it's really just a clever marketing strategy used to sell craft beer to the masses. As I mull this though over in my mind I lift a too-light pint glass to my lips and raise the bottom higher and higher until I'm snapped out of my day dream by the realization that my pint glass is empty (and quite possible has been for a while) and I am in need of a refill. Determined to get to the bottom of this Colorado mystery I head back to the refrigerator, fetch another cold rocky mountain brew, and return to my desk with a full glass, and a revived determination to get back to the project at hand.

The project at hand, so to speak, was a Tour d'Odell, a parallel tasting of four of Fort Collins based Odell Brewing Company's beers. The beers I tried were: 5 Barrel Pale Ale, Easy Street Wheat, 90 Shilling, and their IPA. Here are my notes, enjoy.
First stop the 5 Barrel Pale Ale. The beer pours a neon-mandarin. The flavors were light and delicious. It's an excellent example of what a pale ale should be. Light but flavorful, effervescent but not overly-carbonated, flavorful but not high in alcohol. There was a subtle but sound hops-presence, and a touch of Orange Peal on the finish.

Second stop, Easy Street Wheat Beer. This cloudy unfiltered yellow-orange beer had all the typical characteristics that a wheat beer should have. It was light, crisp and refreshing, and had a beautiful thick white foam and a long citrusy finish. In generally I try to avoid wheat beers (and pilsners) in the winter but this was one I could make an exception for (What really made this beer special was the finish... it was very long and had hints of spruce and pine-excellent).

The third beer up to the plate was Odells' 90 Shilling. This Scottish style ale was much hoppier, and richer than the pale ale. It was also more creamy, darker and higher in alcohol. My favorite part though wasn't the flavor but that it left little foam rings on the side of the glass marking each gulp as I drank.

I saved the best for last. One whiff of Odell's IPA and my knees went to rubber (actually that may have been the alcohol as this was to be my 4th beer of the hour (what, I working hard!)). The beer was hoppie and pleasantly bitter. It was robust and round, and it was very well balanced. Not a lot to say here (definitely nothing bad to say).

So there it is, my take on four beers from Odell Brewing Company, one of the many fine breweries from my 'el dorado' state. For more photos, check out the beer photos page.

-Prost!
D.Lux

One from up North

2010-01-26T22:05:00.000-08:00

Today I tried Trois Pistoles, a dark, high-gravity ale from Unibroue (Trois Pistoles, of course, translates to 'Three Pistols' and 'Unibroue', is a French word describing a person whose excessive eyebrows hairs overgrow to the point at which they connect in the center).*

Quebec based Unibroue makes great Belgian-style beers and produces many of their beers using bottle-fermentation process. The process allows the beers to take on a richer, earthier quality, and a higher alcohol level than standard ales.

The beer pours a deep brown color with a hint of dark-green around the edges like a boiled down green tea. The aroma was herbal and yeasty with notes of clove and even root beer(weird). The beer felt light on the palate and the flavors were very well balanced. I got sweet notes of Port and dried red fruit which were countered by a touch of sour tang on the finish (green olives?) likely a result of the natural yeast in the bottle.

Over all I liked this beer a lot. It was a really nice beer that was true to Belgian style, and quite delicious. Put this one on your list of beers to try soon!

* If you don't realize that I'm joking you're not reading the BDTimes enough-go back and read a few of the past posts. Very soon it will be evident that I have an extremely corny sence of humor.

For more info check out Unibroue's website.

-Prost!

D.Lux

Flagstaff by Bar!

2010-01-21T23:59:00.000-08:00

They call it 'the Vail of Arizona' (actually, I'm the only one who calls it that and I've never actually been to Vail so I suppose you could argue that may not be the best nickname..). What you can't argue though, is that when you roll into town after a two plus hour drive from the Phoenix valley you are greeted by a wonderfully little downtown. One of the reasons that I like Flagstaff so much is that, unlike the Phoenix metro area, you can really feel it's history. Another reason I like Flagstaff so much is that it is home to a huge number of unique restaurants and bars where you an fill your belly and quench your thirst. On my most recent visit to 'the city of seven wonders' I made stops at six watering holes; Beaver Street Brewery, the Wine Loft, Criollo, Crystal Creek Sandwich Co, Pay n' Take and the Monte Vista Hotel. Here is my take on each (feel free to add your two sense if you've had a particularly good or bad experience at any of them)!

1) Beaver Street Brewery: Simply put Beaver Street Brewery is ON-POINT. I honestly have nothing bad to say about this place. The Beer, the food, the atmosphere, the service, and the menu are all above par. The staff is friendly, the bar is inviting, the food is appetizing, filling

and moderately priced, and the beer is delicious. What more can you ask for? If I lived in Flagstaff I'd be here no less than twice a week. I would say more, but nothing more needs to be said. Try it for yourself if you don't believe me.

2) The Wine Loft: Whats this? The BREW dork reviewing a WINE bar? Don't let the name fool you, the Wine Loft is a great place for a beer-nut to go for a few reasons. For starters they have a great beer list. The drink menu at this WINE bar boast 50 beers by the bottle (split half and half American Craft beers and Belgian imports). Need another reason to come in, how about this one, they have GAMES! The board-game list is almost as long as the beer list, and just as entertaining. I didn't love everything about the Wine Loft though... The furniture looks like it was new and chic 40 years ago when it was commissioned by NAU to furnish a new dorm, but looks lackluster in an urban watering hole. The staff was friendly and attentive, although the bar was mostly empty which means that all I can conclusively deduce is that the service is not 'terrible' (A bar has to be busy during my visit in order for the staff to have an opportunity to show me they're great). Over all I liked the Wine Loft a lot. I do think, however, for them to survive and prosper they will need to actively continue to grow and develop their beer offerings and consider dropping the 'wine' off their name and just going by 'the Loft' so as not to compete so directly with their new neighbor Criollo.

3) Criollo: As the Wine Loft lulled through a quiet Saturday night, the new kid on the block Criollo, the new neighbor listed above, was jumping. The small space was crowded with faces and there was a hum of chatter over a sexy latin-fusion playlist. The warm, intimate

atmosphere played contrast to the cold dark street and was wonderfully inviting. Barely a month old, Criollo seemed to have already worked out whatever opening kinks they had (if they had any at all). The menu was moderately priced and seemed to have something for everyone, and the drink list (my forte) was spectacular. Taking advantage of the huge quantity and variety of wine values found in Spanish (and Portuguese) speaking countries they assembled a large list of glass and bottle offerings to pair with their food. The beer list was fairly poor and had a few odd balls like Imperial (a beer which I remember tasting GREAT when I guzzled it in a cloud forest bar in northern Costa Rica but can only imagine that when consumed in Flagstaff tastes 'moderate' at best). The cocktail menu however is phenomenal with a huge number of house originals and almost every single libation sounding enticing and delicious (at least, on paper). Overall I think that Criollo is going to do VERY WELL and soon become a Flagstaff staple. My only fear is that it will drive the Wine Loft out of business (something I don't think ANYONE wants).

4) Crystal Creek Sandwich Shop: First a WINE bar, now a Sandwich Shop? Believe me--This shop deserves a spot on any Flagstaff beer-tour! Why? Well, first off, they have 15+ beers on tap--let's see THAT at Subway! The beers were mostly domestics but few were beers that I wouldn't happily order, and some were beers that even the snobbiest of beer snobs would happily slurp. Add to that killer tasting, large-portioned sandwiches, hot soups, and an interior that looks like a ski lodge (less the fire place) and you have a winner.

5) Pay 'n Take: What do you get when you combine a liquor store with a passion for good beer, and a mom n' pops dinner from the fifties? The answer is Pay 'n Take. It's part retail,

part bar, and all around good fun! This was probably my second favorite place to consume in Flagstaff (behind Beaver St). This small space is bisected by a long table surrounded by old school bar stools. On the right, the entire wall is refrigerator space filled with six-packs and tall-boys. The left half of the space is dominated by the long bar with some room near the back for merchandise. When I arrived late Saturday evening the Bar was packed with a young, lively, crowd. For the couple of hours that I was there there was a steady stream of people coming and going but no one ever seemed to have to wait. The service staff, which from what I could tell, consisted of two people, one behind the bar, and one primarily working the till on 'to-go' orders. They never looked weeded, and they always had a smile on their faces. Best of all, the beers, whether from one of the four taps, or from the wall-o-frige, were VERY reasonably price, no doubt part of the reason for the steady stream of NAU coeds.

6) Monte Vista Hotel: Last but not least before skipping town I made a late morning visit to the cafe at the Monte Vista hotel. As has become a bit of a tradition for me, after filling my gas tank for the drive South, I stopped into the Monte Vista cafe to fill my 'other tank' with a tall cup of my second favorite type of brew (delicious, delicious COFFEE). After a leisurely hour spent reading the Sunday paper as the sun slowly creep across the bar took a deep breath, paid my tap and headed back to Phoenix and a new work week relaxed and rejuvenated.

-Prost!

D.Lux

Wait-Wait-There's One More!

2010-01-18T20:19:00.001-08:00

I must have been a really good boy in 2009 because Santa brought me one last Christmas gift... (and it looks as though he may have saved the best for last!)

For my 12.5th (and LAST) beer of Christmas I had the

pleasure of sipping on Port Brewing Companies Santa's Little Helper. SLH is a 10% ABV Monster. It's an Imperial Porter that could kick the ass of any of the other seasonal beers on my Christmas list. If you were a Pale Ale your grandmother would scold you for hanging out with it. 'Stay away from that beer' she'd say, 'he's too big, too rough, and too strong... 'He might not mean harm, but he doesn't know his own strength and he might hurt you by accident.'

The beer pours black. Not chestnut, not mocha or coffee brown, black. It's unbelievably dense (I held it up to a flame out of curiosity and got nothing--not even the faintest hint of light penetrated the viscus brew). The bouquet was equally dense. As I poured the beer, intoxicating aromas of espresso, cocoa bean, and double roasted malt filled the air.

The head that formed was a wonderful, amorphous, brown froth, that constantly swirled and evolved with each lift, sip, and swirl of the glass. In my perfect world, soothsayers don't use a crystal staring ball, but rather hand your a magnum of Ports' SLH and a church key and read your future in the patterns that appear in your crystal goblet as you imbibe.

The texture of the beer was thick and creamy. It managed to do what so very few beers are capable of by feeling both heavy on the palate but also finishing clean. Roast espresso bean was by far the strongest component that came through on the palate. Hints of hazelnut and macadamia nuts give it a round, full flavor. A touch of Vanilla also comes through, and dried red-fruits on the finish add complexity to the mix. Although it rocks in at 10% ABV, it's not hot like on the tongue like the 9.5% Winter Warmer by SanTan, but rather smooth and rich. It's warming and inebriating without being over-powering. I asked Sir Alan to give it a swirl and tell me what he thought: "Don't let its coaly* guise fool you, Santa's Lil' Helper is only for those few on the 'nice' list" I agree Alan, 100%!

So, to conclude, let me just say, if you haven't tried this beer, go now and try it. Pick up a bottle--better yet pick up two--you won't regret it!

-Prost!

D.Lux

*yes, it has been verified, 'coaly' is actually a word.

Great-Scot, It's Organic!

2010-01-09T14:01:00.001-08:00

Great-Scot-It's all Natural!

Pale Ale -> Cool
Made in Scotland -> Super Cool!
USDA Certified Organic -> Double Super Cool!!

I picked up this bottle for little reason other than that it was the only Organic beer on the shelf. With as much beer as I drink (and I drink a lot of beer) it's not often that I try a type or style that I've never tried before. Although I consider myself a (mild) environmentalist enthusiast, I cannot remember ever picking up a bottle of 100 per cent USDA certified organic beer.* As with wine, produce, and pretty much any consumable product in the American market, in order for a label to carry the USDA Certified logo the product must be made 100% naturally (Read: no chemical fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, pesticides or artificial flavorings).

Organic brewing isn't a new concept in beer. Hell, beer began as an organic product (now, admittedly although early beer was organic it most likely wasn't any good. In fact, in terms of flavor, and probably more closely resembled stale, fermented, bread-juice than modern beer). However, in recent years the concept of making beer organically has seen an increase and today more and more breweries are producing tasty, natural, beer.

So, enough flirting, lets get right to it with today's BREW REVIEW!

This beer is light straw in color with a hint of honeycomb-orange. I poured the beer right down the center of the glass and was rewarded with a nice, rich, white head. The aroma was extremely light and crisp (more akin to a Czech style Pilsner than a Pale ale) and didn't come off particularly complex.

Upon tasting the beer its high acidity and upfront bitterness dominated my palate. Beyond the zip of acidity, I was disappointed by an all around lack flavor and depth. I'm not sure if my palate is just condition to huge flavor-bombs after a month of almost exclusively drinking hearty winter warmers and rich, spicy, Christmas ales, but this beer just seamed to fall flat big time. There was some green-straw flavoring, and a touch of hops, but that's about it!

Overall I have to say I was not wild about it. On a hot summer day, if I don't have anything else in the fridge, maybe... but if that's all you can say about a beer, than it might not be worth picking up at all. I'm not discouraged though, I know there are some great organic beers out there, and I will find them. If you know of one worth seeking out let me know, I would love to try a few of the good ones so that the next time some one asks me 'hey, brew dork, do you know of a good organic beer I should try?' I can make a confident recommendation**

-Prost!

D.Lux

* I have to take it back already... just a couple of months ago I enjoyed a 'Au Natural' Organic Blond Ale by Grand Teton Brewing Company. Oh well, I'm sure there's still virgin beer-territory out there somewhere!

** What? You don't think I get that question? I get that question ALL THE TIME! I'm the Brew Dork Damn it! :-P

For the Twelfth beer of Christmas...

2010-01-08T13:44:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I'm like that asshole neighbor across the cul-de-sac who still thinks it's acceptable to turn his Christmas lights on...

What can I say. I still have a little holiday cheer left to spread and-God-Damn it-I'm gonna spread it!

For the 12th beer of Christmas I'm going to hand over the reigns to Mark, the original BrewsTraveller.

So, without further ado, please enjoy his take on Home for the Holidays:

Being in Arizona I'm partial to the west coast breweries. Mainly because I like their aggressive style and hoppy attitude, but also because we just don't get too many breweries shipping their beer out here. However, when I do find an east coast brewery willing to try and penetrate this market I jump at the chance to at least give them a try. This led me to Home for the Holidays from High & Mighty Beer Co. in Holyoke Massachusetts.

Home for the Holidays is classified as an oak aged winter brown ale. This

beer definitely has a holiday feel to it. It has a nutty flavor with the toasted malt really coming through. It's also a little bit sweet with a hint of dark fruit. It has 7.2% alcohol but you don't notice. It's the type of

beer that you can cozy up to next to the fire place.

All in all I felt this wasn't a great beer but it's worth try ing if you're looking for something like a toastier Fat Tire. The toasted malt flavor was just too overpowering. The best thing I can say about this beer is that a portion of the proceeds go to support veterans organizations in Iraq and Afghanistan. If only the beer was as good as the cause it supports.

Thanks for the review Mark.

-Prost!

D.Lux

For the Eleveth beer of [winter]...

2010-01-03T12:09:00.000-08:00

For the eleventh beer of [winter], the beer store gave to me, Widmer Brothers Brrr Winter War-mer

The Widmer Brothers Brewing company was founded in 1984 in Portland Oregon. They make a wide variety of quality American and European style beers. For my 11th beer of x-mas, I poured myself a glass for their winter warmer, Brrr.

Brrr Seasonal Ale pours a bright, luminescent orange. The beer is clear, and clean looking and has a nice rich frothy white head that covers the top of the beer like a dusting of snow on a cold winters day.

The beer has a lightly floral aroma of orange blossom.

When I tasted it I noticed it has an extremely rich and creamy mouth feel.

The booze is extremely well balanced. The beer itself rocks in at a heavy 7.2 per cent ABV but the heat does not come off AT ALL, and rather the rich creaminess comes off mellow and tame.

There is also a strong note of vanilla on the finish and a yeasty uncooked bread dough component to add character and complexity.

Over all I though this beer was very nice. It wasn't at all spicy dark like some winter warmers, but it was very rich, and scored very high on my balance and complexity meters. This wasn't the best Christmas beer I've tried, but I think it was hands down the best value beer thus far/best bang-for-your-buck-winter beer.

One more review to go!

-Prost!

D.Lux

Beer Sale-YAY!

2010-01-02T18:55:00.000-08:00

I just got back from the beer store and I am happy to report that just about every bottle of beer in the store that had the word Santa, Winter, Christmas, or Holiday on it was on sale!

A lot of these beers will run out in the next few weeks so if you are a fan of the winter seasonls now is definitely the time to go stock up!

-Prost!

D.Lux

For the Tenth beer of [winter]...

2010-01-01T23:04:00.001-08:00

For the Tenth beer of [winter] the beer store gave to me,

Winter Hook by Red hook Brewery!

Generally speaking, Red Hook Brewery makes above average but otherwise unremarkable ales and in that sense their Winter Ale is right on par. It's tasty and I'd gladly toss back a few, but I won't be shedding any tears mid-January when the years supply runs dry.

The beer pours a deep chestnut color, and is topped by a toasted-marshmallow head. The smell is dominated by aromas of roasted malts and has a strong coffee/toffee component as well.

On the palate the beer is sweet but balanced, with a touch of bitterness. The toffee flavors are great and are accompanied by notes of chocolate and macadamia nuts. Actually, if I had to sum up this beer en an extremely primitive way, I'd say it tastes the way I would expect a half

IPA, half nut-brown Ale to taste. It has notes of chocolate, cream, and

roasted malt, but it also has a bitter hop component that you can expect from a good IPA.

The alcohol level is low for a winter seasonal

(just under 6% ABV) and this beer seems like it would be a very easy beer to pair with food.

If you see it on sale, definitely snatch some up, but otherwise-with so many great winter ales in the market-you

could pass on this one without fearing that you had missed anything Earth-shaking.

-Prost!

D. Lux

For the Ninth beer of Christmas...

2009-12-27T11:00:00.000-08:00

For the 9th beer of Christmas I made a trip down the San Tan Brewing Company in Chandler, AZ to sample a glass of their annual Winter Warmer!

San Tan does a lot of things that I like; the brewery has a very open feel, their beers are

consistently tasty, and their staff are quick and friendly. I would like very much to do a full review of the facilities but for today, I'm going to concentrate on only one beer.

The San Tan's Winter Warmer pours a beautiful deep mahogany in color. It has a thick creamy head and bursts with aroma... The most prominent

components that I noticed were dark cocoa and cream, although there was also a very strong mint flavor (somewhere between candy cane-

spearmint and menthol) and there was also a slight licorice flavor on the finish. It also had a really nice herbal-tea like quality to it.

One complaint that I did have was that it was a bit too hot on the palate. I don't have anything against high-octane beers, but if a brew is going to approach double-digits in ABV, it sure as hell

better have the huge flavor and complexity necessary to back itup. Although this beer a lot going on, there's not enough there to back up the 9.5% ABV.

That said, at 6PM Christmas day (when you've taken in more Christmas spirit than you care to (and need to get out of the house before say something to your mother-in-law that you'll regret) a beer with a little kick might be just the think you want!

Three more to go-Stay Tuned!

-Prost!

D.Lux

Q: How do you stop a Brew Dork from Blogging?

2009-12-27T08:55:00.000-08:00

A: Give him a keg of Four Peaks Kilt Lifter for Christmas...

Christmas was a lot of fun this year but one thing it most definitely was NOT was productive...
Even though I DID get a chance to drink the elusive Great Lakes Christmas Ale, I did not get the final four brews of Christmas finished. Now that the keg is finally dry, and the dust has settled, I will get back to it and hopefully have the last four published in the next few days :D

Vegas Baby-VEGAS!

2009-12-20T12:15:00.000-08:00

Sin City takes a unique approach to lots of traditional industries so it shouldn't come as any surprise that they would take an equally unique approach to the creation of a micro-brewery. That in mind, on my most recent trip to Las Vegas, I took a few minutes away from the Craps tables to check out Nevadas newest beer producer; Sin City Brewing Company.

Before departing Tempe I had read a couple of online reviews about the brewery. The reviews were overwhelmingly positive and I was excited about the prospect of a high quality brew-pub located on the strip but also I was also tentative (any schmo can write an online review right*). I didn't want to get my hopes until I had the chance to visit and see for myself whether they really were producing quality brew on Las Vegas BLVD, or if, as I feared, it was just another sexy logo in an intoxicating town...

The brewing company is located inside the Flamingo Hotel and is quite easy to find (if, upon entering the main lobby, you are able to avoid the enticing 'ding, ding, ding' of the gaming floor long enough to hang a hard right).

As I approached the 'brewery' I had to summon all of my anti-snobbery not to laugh... At first sight Sin City Brewing Company doesn't look like a micro-brewery, it's looks like a beer-kiosk.

It's located in a part of the hotel sectioned off for shops and restaurants. Over the center of the bar are five brass taps advertising the breweries official logo and the names of their signature ales. I requested the porter, which was tapped-out, and settled for the IPA (my 'litmus test-beer') instead. I also tried their Amber. Both beers were 'okay', and aside from the fact that they were served in a plastic cup** I didn't have any serious complaints about either one of them. The beers weren't overly complex, but they were clean, true to style, and well made.

As I slipped a five-er into the built-into-the bar video poker machine I casually asked Dion our bartender if there was another Sin City Brewing Company (thinking maybe this was the satellite for the larger main building). "There's three actually" he said, and then added with a prideful grin "but this one's the biggest!"

Before long I was out of beer (as well as credits on my video poker game) and the visions of a tiny white ball rolling chaotically around a black and red wheel got too strong to ignore. The night was young, my partner in crime Alan and I paid our tab, and we stepped into the rabbit hole that is Las Vegas.

-Prost!

D.Lux
*hey, no wise cracks about the Dork okay?

**I suppose if they'll let you walk out of the bar, into the street, pretty much anywhere, with an open container I can't complain too much about the fact that they prefer your drunk-ass has a cup that won't break when you drop it.

For the Eighth beer of Christmas...

2009-12-18T15:36:00.000-08:00

Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!

This beer is a literal 180 from the last Christmas Beer I reviewed. It's not light and bright, it's thick and dark. It's not sweet and fruity, it's dry and herbal.This Christmas ale is coffee brown in color and loaded with flavors of cinnamon, clove, and ginger. It has flavors of ginger cookies, ginger bread, gingersnaps, and, did I mention, ginger?Actually, come to think of it my Mom's annual Christmas cookie package arrived today, and it just so happens that she included some Frosted Gingersnaps in the mix this year. Please allow a brief intermission while I retrieve one of her cookies for a short investigation...

That's it! Milk, step aside please. I'm sorry, but we won't be needing you anymore, you've been replaced! Boy! Won't Santa be happy when he

comes down MY chimney this year and sees a cold Anchor Steam perched next to a heaping plate of my Momma's Snaps! I just hope you can't get a DUI while operating a Sleigh in Arizona, otherwise Sheriff Arpio may throw the big guy in Tent City with out giving two thoughts about all the little boys and girls that won't get their presents as a result (boy, if this was a political blog, I could really easily take this opportunity to make a comment about Arpio's heart being two sizes too small, but alas, this is not a

political blog). This is a beer blog so lets get back to the reason you're here! The flavors of this beer are rich and creamy. It's just plain delicious. It's not sweet and it's relatively light and low in alcohol (for a Holiday seasonal) at 5.5% ABV.

One last note, that bears mentioning before I wrap this up is that this is Anchor Steams 35th year producing a Christmas Ale... thats right, 35TH! Most of the breweries I review aren't 35 years old (hell, many of the brewers themselves aren't 35 years old!). Anchor Steam has made this beer for 35 years, and they have used 35 different recipes. Each year the batch is unique, and each year the recipe is retired. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing...

-Prost!
D.Lux
PS Want my Mom's Ginger Snap recipe so you can try the combo on your own? Send me an e-mail with a beer recommendation-ANY beer recommendation-and I will send it to you :)

BrewDorkTimes@gmail.com

For the Seventh beer of Christmas...

2009-12-17T14:19:00.000-08:00

~~~~For the Seventh beer of Christ-mas,~~~~

~~~~the beer-store gave to me,~~~~

~~~~Shiner Holiday Cheer!~~~~

The everyone knows the saying "Don't mess with Texas!" Well, this little San Antonio number isn't much of a 'tuff guy' in the Beer world, but it sure is tasty. [Disclaimer: If you think that beer should always taste a 'certain way' then this beer may not be for you... Me personally, I love beer because there is very little restriction in how it can or can't be produced and as a result, can come in an extremely diverse range of flavors. This beer, produced with peach nectar and pecans (among other things) is testament to the the very diversity that makes beer so special! That said, do I like this beer? Yes, but would I reach for it every time? Not a chance! Need further explanation, read on...]

The first thing that comes through on the nose of this beer is peaches, peaches and more peaches! The brew has a nice deep color of burnt caramel and has a brown-beige head.

When I tasted it, I still got the peaches but they were joined by green apples, triple cream Brie, and cracked pecans. The flavors got more and more complex with each sip. Once I got past the peaches I also noticed notes of raisin, cranberry, and a strange jammy-fruit-melange (would you think me a fool if I told you I tasted an apricot-mandrin marmalade?)

All in all I think this is a terrific beer. It's not one that I'd want to have more than one of at a time, but it is quite tasty, and furthermore I think it is one of the more food-friendly beers I've tried this year! If you feel like trying a different, lightly sweet beer, give this one a whirl!

Five more to go, stay tuned!

-Prost!

D.Lux

Puppies and Beer!!

2009-12-17T14:00:00.000-08:00

A big thank you everyone who came out to the Puppies and Beer fundraiser for AZ Rescue this past Tuesday. The event was a blast and raised bunch of money for a great cause! Also thank you to Papago Brewing Company and Bell's Brewery of Kalamazoo, MI for co-hosting the event.

Look for Bell's Oberion or Amber next time you're in a well stocked beer store-its great stuff!

-Prost!

D.Lux

For the Sixth beer of Christmas...

2009-12-17T11:50:00.000-08:00

~~~~For the Sixth beer of Christ-mas,~~~~

~~~~the beer-store gave to me,~~~~
~~~~Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale!~~~~

Oh no! It's already December 17th and I still have 7 beers to go! To make sure I'm able publish all 12 suggestions while there's still time to go out and try 'em, I'll be shortening the reviews a little so that I can get them posted quicker...

So.... without further ado, the sixth beer on my list is Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. Sierra Nevada is one of the few American breweries that has mastered both the 'quality' and 'quantity' aspects of beer production. A lot of companies are extremely good at one but not the other, but Sierra Nevada has managed to increase distribution without sacrificing any of the attention to detail and pride of product that make craft beers so great.

Celebration Ale is a great example of what I think a holiday beer should be. It's full bodied, and has so many wonderful Christmas flavors (particularly cinnamon, nutmeg and malt). It has a rich copper-red color, and beautiful bright clarity. There's a touch of brown sugar and a wonderful bitter-hop finish.

Is this the best Christmas beer I've ever had? NO! but is it darn good? You betcha! In fact, I think this is a perfect litmus test beer for anyone who has never had a holiday seasonal. If you try this beer and say to yourself, "this ain't what beer tastes like, bahh-Humbug!" Well, then you should probably skip my next 6 recommendations too. If you try this and like it, print out my last six recommendation, and go shopping!

Six down-six to go! Stay tuned, they're going to be coming out rapid fire now!

-Prost!
D.Lux

EVENT UPDATE!!

2009-12-08T19:30:00.000-08:00

For one night only Papago Brewing Company has agreed to donate one dollar to Arizona Rescue for every beer they sell!

Arizona Rescue is an organization dedicated to preventing the euthanasia of un-homed pets. Since starting in 1995 they have saved over 9,000 animals!If this wasn't enough, Tuesday night is also the first night that Bell's will be available in Arizona. Bell's Brewery makes fantastic beer in Kalamazoo, MI and I couldn't be happier to finally be able to get their beer here in Arizona :)

The event begins a 6:00 PM Tuesday, December 15th

So come out, grab a brewski, and help raise some money for our furry friends!

PS this event is open to all, bring as many friends as you can :)

-Prost!
D.Lux

For the Fifth beer of Christmas...

2009-12-07T15:27:00.000-08:00

~~~~For the Fifth beer of Christ-mas,~~~~

~~~~the beer-store gave to me,~~~~
~~~~K-9 Cruiser by Flying Dog Brewery!~~~~

For the fifth beer of Christmas I drank the K-9 Cruiser Winter Ale by Flying Dog Brewery. These guys are one of my favorite brewers in America and they did not let me down with this year's Winter Ale!Put simply, this beer has got a lot going on; big-time flavor, big-time complexity! Although the flavors are what hit you over the head immediately, it's the complexity that makes this beer intriguing (think of it like getting hit over the head by a bat, and then immediately afterward thinking "what just happened?" -except without the ringing).

It has great clarity, a bright red-orange color, and very low-carbonation. The beer was extremely rich with creamy notes of sweet malt and a wonderful toasty aroma. It was also chalk-full of the cooking aromas that I love much in a winter ale (cinnamon, brown sugar, and toffee in particular). There were also a lot of secondary flavors going on but I would have needed a second or third bottle to pinpoint them exactly. This has been my favorite, thus far, of the 12 beers of Christmas, and I highly recommend you give this it a try.
More to come!

-Prost
D.Lux

Seamus McCaffrey's!

2009-12-06T19:12:00.001-08:00

Greetings everyone, my name is Andrew Hall and in celebration of the 76th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition, I have been bestowed with the privilege of having a guest article on this fine publication.

In order to celebrate our greatest freedom, intoxicating liquors, along with Mr. D-Lux, Gizmo, and Sir Alan Hoyt and his merry men, I made the arduous light-rail journey to the urban jungle of downtown Phoenix. Seamus McCaffrey’s is one of the few bars nestled amongst the skyscrapers of downtown, but I’ve always considered it to be a diamond in the rough. Next door to the haunted and historic Hotel San Carlos, this dingy yet distinct Irish pub is chock full of character. The service was above average, and other than a few gaudy neon lights and a tacky countdown to St. Patrick’s Day sign, the hardwood floors, aged decor and socially robust ambiance could almost convince someone they are in a friendly Irish pub in Dublin… almost.

While I know this is a beer oriented blog, because of the limited to nonexistent selection of any interesting choices, I’d rather focus on what this rich pub is known for, its superb whiskey list. Considering it is an Irish pub, there was a suspiciously large selection of Scotch. The list was conveniently divided up into region, which makes the selection process much easier to the trained, or in my case, training pallet. At the recommendation of Dan the man, I went with the $8 Glenmorangie 12 year single malt with a port wood finish. This beautiful golden colored whiskey did not disappoint. Nuts and oak were the clear winners of the initial flavor war, and as the name would imply, the port flavors finished the medley off. A wonderful taste, but I found that it really dried me out worse than expected. Even if you are a regular whiskey drinker, plan to be thirsty and order a glass of water beforehand, otherwise bad breath and cottonmouth are almost sure to follow. Overall it was a wonderful drink and bar. I would recommend to whiskey folk, but if you are going to grab an exotic pint, you may be a bit disappointed.

Bar: 8 out of 10 in general
Glenmorangie 12 year: 8 out of 10

-A votre sante
Andrew Hall

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For the Fourth beer of Chirstmas

2009-12-04T09:43:00.000-08:00

~~~~For the Fourth beer of Christ-mas,~~~~

~~~~the beer-store gave to me,~~~~
~~~~Winter Ale by Alaskan Brewing Company!~~~~

Today I tasted a winter beer from a place that by all accounts should know everything there is to know about winter.

Alaskan Winter Ale is produced in Juneau, Alaska and is released at the beginning of October. This is the first year I've had the chance to try their winter ale and although I wasn't crazy about it, I do think it is a pretty good beer that's well worth a try!

It has great clarity, and pours a beautiful bright orange. The beer has a nice thick, white head and a strong orange blossom aroma. The sweet orange flavor comes through very nicely on the palate and there's also a lovely green component (pine?) and a touch of sweet malt.

The alcohol level is about average for a winter seasonal and is well balanced by its rich sweet flavoring, resulting in an extremely smooth brew. In fact, it might be a little too smooth... I mean, at 6.4% ABV this semi-sweet beer might be enough to keep me warm on a December night in Tempe, but if I were freezing my chestnuts off in Juneau Christmas Eve, I might just have to leave this one in the fridge, and reach for a glass of bourbon instead!

Stay tuned, more seasonal suggestions to come!

-Prost!
D.Lux

P.S. Oh, and I forgot to mention, it's brewed using Spruce Tips, how cool is that?! :)

For the Third beer of Christmas...

2009-12-01T22:00:00.000-08:00

~~~~For the Third beer of Christ-mas,~~~~

~~~~the beer-store gave to me,~~~~
~~~~Santa's Private Reserve by Rogue Brewery!~~~~

Yum! Yum! Yum!
Beer! Beer! Beer!

I'm a quarter of the way through the 12 Brews of Christmas and going strong!

Today I tried Santa's Private Reserve by Rogue brewing company (which you might recognize from last months BREW REVIEW of Dry-Hopped St Rouge Red).

This beer was a really fun one to taste, but a really hard one to review... You see, the 12 Brews of Christmas is supposed to be a list of some of my favorite beers to enjoy during the holidays... This beer, managed to be simultaneously both a terrific ale, but only a mediocre Christmas beer... Allow me to explain.

With a name like Santa's Private Reserve--and a likeness of the jolly one himself raising a pint on the label--I went into this tasting with pretty high expectations. I hoped that the moment I cracked the cap of the bottle, a no spices-barred Christmas bombshell would pour out of the neck; nutmeg, pine, cinnamon and honey, would flow from the glass and fill my nostrils; and visions of sugarplums would fill my head! I did NOT get what I expected.

When I first smelled this beer the aroma came through as distinctly herbal with notes of rosemary and thyme. It reminded me of a wet-hopped Oregon IPA. There was a hint of menthol in the aroma, and a heavy heaping of hops.

The beer poured a beautiful, dark brick red. It was somewhat cloudy with a beautiful creamy white head.

When I tasted the beer I was surprised by a pleasantly high acidity, and by how strongly the hops persisted on the palate. I was unpleasantly surprised by the absence of many of the Christmas spice staples:

No Cinnamon!
No Nutmeg!
No honey!
No pine!

I think this is a really good beer but if I had tasted it blind, I would have pegged it as a wet-hopped, amber IPA, not a Christmas beer (I also would not have complained about the taste).

Maybe it's not the best 'Christmas beer', but it's delicious nonetheless.

Stay tuned, more seasonal beers to come!

-Prost!

D.Lux

For the Second beer of Christmas...

2009-11-29T22:30:00.000-08:00

~~~~For the Second beer of Christ-mas,~~~~

~~~~the beer-store gave to me,~~~~
~~~~Christ-mas Ale by Abita Brewery!~~~~

For the second brew of Christmas I'm drinking a Southeastern staple, Abita Christmas Ale! This beer is a great follow up to the Deschutes Winter Ale particularly because it is sooooooo different.
You see, one of the main reasons I look forward to winter seasonal beers so much is that the category has very few restrictions, and as a result, contains an extremely wide variety of brews. If variety is the spice of life, during the holidays, life can get quite spicy!!
So, what is it about the Abita that makes it so different from the Deschutes winter ale? Well I'm so glad you asked!

The beer pours a beautiful crimson red with a dusty beige head. The aroma is very hoppie and there is a strange tangy, blood-orange flavor on the front of the palate. After a couple big sips flavors of cooked barley come through and there is a very distinct lemon zest to balance the malt.

Maybe equally as interesting as the flavors that are present, are the flavors that are not present... I don't pick up on any of the typical Christmas flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg.

In fact as the beer level works it's way steadily down my glass I'm quite surprised by how much the malt and cooked barley dominate the beer (I kind of feel like I'm eating bowl of whole grain cereal). The finish is a little more rich and round and I pick up on something that's not quite chocolate (but close).

Finally, there's just a little bit of a strange sour, tangy flavor that reminds me of fried plantains (LOL, I know, a bit ridiculous, but that's what I was reminded of).

Okay, that's all for now. I hope I didn't scare you off with the plantains, and if you get a chance to try it, I'd love to hear what you think!

Thanks for reading, and be sure to stay tuned, more seasonal suggestions are on the way!

-Prost!
D.Lux

For the First beer of Christmas, the beer store gave to me!

2009-11-27T11:56:00.000-08:00

[Alright folks I need your best 'singing' internal monologue for this one!]

~~~~For the first beer of Christ-mas,~~~~
~~~~the beer-store gave to me,~~~~
~~~~A De-schutes Ju-bela-le!~~~~

Deschutes's Jubelale is as good a place as any to start for my 12 Brew of Christmas. Their beers are consistently rock-solid, and their winter ale is no exception. This year's Winter ale is packed full of caramel, sweet malt, honey, and cream. Near the end of the palate there's also a touch of spice and a nice kick of bitter hop to round it out.

What makes this beer even cooler is that the label is just as pretty as the beer that's inside. Each year Deschutes commissions a local Oregon artist to create a label that captures the spirit of winter. This year Tracy Leagjeld of Central Oregon Beautifully illustrates winter sunshine on newfallen Oregon Snow.

More seasonal suggestions coming soon!

-Prost!
D.Lux

For the First beer of Chirstmas...

2009-11-24T20:22:00.000-08:00

Ahhhh yes! It's that time of year again folks, time for craft breweries across the country to release their beloved Winter Seasonal beers!! I am so excited about this years selections that I am literally beaming with joy!!

I think part of the reason I get so excited about the release of winter seasonal beers is that one of the first craft beers that I remember really enjoying (and looking forward to year after year) was Great Lakes' Christmas Ale. Great Lakes is a fantastic brewing company located n Cleveland, Ohio (about 60 miles away from my Alma Mater). Although they produce many terrific year-round styles, it was their Christmas Ale that for some reason really struck a cord with me. I distinctly remember trying the beer for the first time and being blown away by how strange (and good) it tasted. It had all sorts of flavors that at the time I didn't think beers were allowed to have. It was completely unlike any of the other beers I had drank. The most intriguing thing though, was realizing how accurately, and completely Great Lakes' Christmas Ale tasted like, well, Christmas.

My young and undeveloped palate simply could not explain why sipping the strange brew instantly filled me with warm memories of bright Christmas mornings, white snow, and laughter (I mean, it's not like my mother had been putting the stuff in my juice cup throughout my childhood (at least, not that I knew of)).

Nevertheless, I liked the sensation, the flavor, and the fact that the beer was produced locally so I didn't question it too persistently (The beer also had another quality going for it--from a college student's point of view at least--and that was very high alcohol content). The alcohol level also probably played a significant part in my decision to never ponder the 'Christmas taste sensation' too long.

To celebrate the '09-10 winter seasonal beers, over the next four weeks I'll be publishing 'The 12 Brews of Christmas!' Although it won't be a comprehensive list of all the best winter warmers--Great Lakes doesn't send any Christmas Ale to Arizona--it will be a fun way to showcase the breadth and diversity of a style that I look forward to year-round. Hopefully my 12 Brews of Christmas will provide good insight and suggestions for everyone from 'seasoned' seasonal beer veterans, to curious college students trying to grasp why a beer would spontaneously remind them of the early 1990's.

Check back every couple of days as I'll be updating the 12 brews of Christmas with a new seasonal beer every 2-3 days!

-Prost!
D.Lux

BREW REVIEW - Speakeasy Prohibition Ale

2009-11-21T13:00:00.000-08:00

Once you've made eye contact, it already too late, the seduction has begun. Sleek and mysterious eyes stare intensely from the rounded neck, and slowly draw you closer...

As you approach, you notice that the dark bottle is decorated with an etched image of a 'Bonnie and Clyde' couple, dressed to impress, and you catch yourself fantasizing about a forgone time.
PROHIBITION, written in red bold-faced letters across the top of the image stirs long forgotten memories and you remember that feeling you used to get, when you did something that you knew was wrong, but didn't stop because you like the way it made you feel...

You smile as you remember that there once was a time when the act you're about to do could have landed you time in the slammer. You feel like a rebel, a law-breaker... maybe, even, like a badass.

The label claims that within the bottle is a: " boldly hopped amber ale that strikes a perfect balance between caramel maltiness and its aggressive hopping"

With such a confident claim I could hardly wait to get the bottle open and find out if the brew could live up to the hype. I quickly pried off the cap and gently filled my glass. The beer was red-amber, topped with a light beige head, and from my first sip it was evident that this beer was going to bring some serious flavor to the table.

The beer had a very thick mouth-feel, not quite whole milk consistency, but thicker than 2 percent. It had a richness and creaminess that reminded me of a stout. There was also a phenomenal sweet caramel maltiness. Mouth watering! Near the end, as the beer warmed up a bit, I noticed a delicious mocha/cocoa aroma, and a nutty almond flavor!

So what did I score this wonderful little beer? By the numbers I give it 7/10 [Flavor 8/10, Balance 6/10, Complexity 7/10]. A total score of 21/30!

-Prost!
D.Lux

Liquor Den - FAIL

2009-11-19T13:51:00.000-08:00

I stopped by the Liquor Den on University today. After browsing their beer selection for less than five minutes I was asked to exit the premises... Here's how it went down.

I was greeted upon entering by a voice from behind the island-counter in the center of the store. I declined assistance, letting the woman know that I'd prefer just to look around a bit.

When I started my counter clockwise lap the first thing that struck me was how empty the shelves were. There were a lot of unused spaces, and in places where brands were stocked, most were only stocked one bottle deep. I was also surprised to notice that most of the liquors they had in stock were rare items that I'd never heard of (this was not a good thing). There were cheap bottles of discontinued schnapps, failed wine-spirit blends, and plastic encased American-made, Polish-labeled vodkas. The wine department was equally shabby, primarily consisting of bargain-bin closeouts and a few varietals each of the standard uber-popular brands (i.e. Yellow Tail, Berringer). The items in the wine and spirits sections that I did recognize were priced high (no doubt in an attempt to compensate for lower sales volume). Finally I reached the beer section. Unfortunately, it was just as bad as the rest of the store. The vast majority of the beers in stock were kept in the refrigerator. Miller, Bud, and a few of the other giants took up the majority of the real estate. There were a few odds and ends six-packs from quasi micro-breweries in the Southwest but little more.

One thing the Liquor Den did not have a shortage of was neon beer signs (although I was booted before getting an exact count, I'm fairly certain that they have more neon beer signs than types of beer).

For what it's worth, they also had a few mildly interesting for-show bottles (an over-priced 'super-premium' tequila in a bottle shaped like a Tommy Gun, a bottle of French vodka in the shape of the Eiffel Tower, et cetera).

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As my lap neared completion I had all but given up on the store when I noticed on a shelf connected to the center island, a Leffe Belgian Ale case. I instantly perked up. What's this!? I though, good beer? I eagerly slid the box to the side to verify the find, and noticed, to my surprise, that the box was completely empty. Weird, I thought.

By this point my behavior had stolen the attention of the cashier away from the stand-up being shown on a flat-screen on the wall. Apparently she had been monitoring my activity on the four-screen security display system behind the cash box for a while and did not approve of my actions:

Her: Wadda ya doin'? Checkin' boxes.......... WADDA YA DOIN?!
Me: (Blank stare) [confused; not sure if she's being serious]
Her: I'd like you to leave the store.
Me: (Blank stare continues) [now utterly baffled]
Her: Bye. [sternly]
Me: Okay... [exit stage right]

And so concluded my review.

For the purposes of rating beer stores I'm going to stick to the standard school grading system (A+, A, A-, and on and so on all the way down to a failing F). This system is self explanatory and make a lot more sense than judging a store on it's balance and complexity :)

The Liquor Den, earns my first, big, fat 'F'

The Liquor Den was devoid of any redeeming qualities. The selection was poor, and the service was downright abrasive (at best). I don't recommend anyone visit unless to see how not to run a liquor store.

-Prost!
D.Lux

BREW REVIEW - JosephsBrau Brewing Company Dunkelweizen

2009-11-18T16:07:00.000-08:00

Dunkelweizen.... Not a lot of people search it out on their Friday night beer run but I wish more did because it's a pretty delish' style. Simply put, Dunkelweizen is the darker, richer cousin of the more popular (at least States side) light and fruity Hefeweizen. Dunkel is German for 'Dark' while Weitzen means 'Wheat'.

While you'll be hard pressed to find a wide variety of them, most reputable vendors will keep at least a couple varieties on hand. They can be easy to miss but take my word for it, they're worth the extra lap around the German beer section.

The JosephBrau Brewing is a subdivision of TJ's Brewing Company and is produced in the same facility as their big brother in San Jose, California. Their Dunkelweizen is marketed as an amber, unfiltered, wheat beer.

When I poured the beer into a glass it showed a brilliant burnt-orange color. It was extremely cloudy and reminded me a lot of fresh-pressed New England apple cider.

The flavors were actually really quite nice. There was a strong malty component and an pleasantly nutty aroma. On the finish I noticed a light citrus fragrance which balanced out the darker richer flavors nicely.

Over all I was pretty happy with the beer. Coming from the Trader Joe's family I was a little afraid (see Trader Joe's Parallel Tasting) but as it turns out my fears were unfounded. And I shouldn't be surprised, like the great wine houses of Bordeaux, many of the larger mass-market brewers will bottle craft or specialty beers under pseudo-labels.

By the numbers, I give it an average score of 5/10 [Flavor 5/10, Balance 5/10, Complexity 5/10]. 15/30.

-Prost!
D.Lux

BREW REVIEW - Trader Joe's Parallel Tasting!

2009-11-15T20:54:00.001-08:00

Let me start by saying, I'm a big fan of Trader Joe's. I don't very often (partially because there are about 15 grocery stores closer to my house) but every time I do go, I'm glad I'm made the trip. Their wide variety of healthy, fresh, wholesome food, priced reasonably, and presented thoughtfully, creates in an atmosphere that makes grocery shopping a real pleasure.

For booze hounds like myself, the icing on the grocery store cake is their large and diverse selection of beer and wine. In keeping with their 'affordable quality' theme they stock a huge selection of moderate to low priced wines, and downright inexpensive beers. In addition to beers from around the world they also pedal a few 'home brew's'. Yesterday I set out to take their brews for a go-around. Here's what I tried:

Bohemian Lager
Bavarian Style Hefeweizen
Vienna Style Lager
Hofbrau Bock

Now, with as much as I sing TJ's praises, I would like to clarify that I did not go into this tasting expecting greatness... I bought a TJ's mixed pack hoping for beers that were tasty, fun, well balanced and little more. What I got--with the exception of the Hofbrau Bock--was a 4 pack of disappointment. Allow me to elaborate...

I started with the lightest beer in the bunch, the Bohemian Lager. It tasted as if they took a 12 ounce beer bottle and filled it with 4 ounces of Budweizer, 4 ounces of a cheap Hefeweizen, and 4 ounces of Tempe's finest tap water. It showed a 'little' bit of barley, a 'little' bit of malt, and a 'very little' bit of wheat. The only flavor that came through with any umph was a dry, hefe-like, lemon zest.

From the Bohemian Lager I moved quickly on to the Bavarian style Hefeweizen. This beer was ahead of the lager by leaps and bounds. It was zesty, robust, and true to style. It was NOT, however, terribly impressive.

After the Hefeweizen I moved quickly on to the Vienna Style Lager. This beer was another fairly complete disappointment. It tasted watered down, slightly stale, and left an all around unmemorable impression on me.

The last beer I tried was their Hofbrau Bock. Now this beer had something... The color was a nice rich amber, the flavors were more pronounced than with the other beers. There were clear notes of caramel and malt. The yeast came through and there was balance between the sweetness of the sugars and the and bitterness of the hops. It even had aftertaste!
In retrospect I'm a little afraid that the only reason I was such a fan of the Bock is that I had it immediately after having three disappointing beers. I trust my initial analysis though and feel I can confidently recommend that next time your doing some shopping at TJs you pick yourself up a sixer-just don't go for the mixed pack.

By the numbers?

Bohemian Lager 2/10 [Flavor 2/10, Balance 3/10, Complexity 1/10]
Bavarian Style Hefeweizen 3/10 [Flavor 4/10, Balance 3/10, Complexity 2/10]
Vienna Style Lager 2/10 [Flavor 1/10, Balance 3/10, Complexity 2/10]
Hofbrau Bock 5/10 [Flavor 5/10, Balance 6/10, Complexity 4/10]

-Prost!
D.Lux

BREW REVIEW - Shipyard Ale

2009-11-10T21:37:00.001-08:00

In case you didn't already know, this past weekend Maine celebrated it's annual Brewers Festival! As I currently live in Tempe, AZ (approximately 27 hundred miles away) I was unable to attend :(

Eager to raise a glass in honor of my home state I decided to scrounged through some of the least traveled corners of Total Wines & More until I found a familiar label. I was quite excited when I found exactly what I was looking for. The bottle I proudly carried it to the front of the store was none other than Shipyard Ale, a household name back home-but in Arizona-quite a treat!

Now Maine may not be the first state you think of when you consider great craft beer states, but what you should know, is that while places like Colorado, California, and Oregon have been enjoying craft-beer's center stage for decades, Maine has been slowly and surely been gaining momentum (and respect), as a true craft beer state. Blogger's like Luke Livingston have even gone so far as to create entire beer sites based on the platform that Maine (in Luke's case, Portland specifically) is truly among America's greatest producers.

So enough about Maine, lets get to the fun part, the BREW REVIEW!

When I tasted the Shipyard Ale today the first thing I though was 'this beer tastes nothing like I remember'. The second thing I though was 'come to think of it, it's been 5 years since I've last had Shipyard, and I can't remember at all what it tasted like!'

After clearing my head of any preconceptions, I took a deep breath, exhaled, and enjoyed a generous second sip...

The color was a pleasant golden amber and average carbonation. The beer was bone dry, devoid of any hop flavor, and extremely light on the tongue. Maybe the most interesting thing I noticed about the brew was that it had a remarkably high acidity. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a citric acid, but there was clearly a sharp, clean zing to it. The acidity, I think, would make this beer an excellent pair for food that was light, buttery, and delicious (something maybe like fresh Maine lobster tail dipped in a butter sauce?)

As a true Mainer, I refuse to order lobster in Arizona, but you can be damn sure that next time I'm in Bangor, I'll give this pairing a through testing!

By the numbers, I give it an average score of 5/10 [Flavor 5/10, Balance 6/10, Complexity 4/10].

15/30

-Prost!
D.Lux

Another Fun Beer Drinking Event! :D

2009-11-10T07:10:00.000-08:00

This weekend DRAFT Magazine's is hosting the second annual Big Pour International Beer Tasting Experience!

This event is truly going to be a treat. There will be hundreds of brews from around the world, seminars about beer production, organic beer, beer and food pairing, and of course, live music!

The events is three days long and is going to be held on the Scottsdale Waterfront (and Southbridge).

Each day has a different theme and a different musical lineup. 4-11 Thursday (Green Night), 5-11 Friday (Major Scottsdale Employer Night), and last but not least, 12Noon-11PM Saturday (The Big Night!) with musical headliner Everclear!

For complete details, check out the event site.

It's Pub Crawl Time!

2009-11-10T06:48:00.000-08:00

Come explore the best bars of downtown this Friday with the 3rd Annual Downtown Phoenix Pub Crawl!

WHEN--Friday Nov. 13th, 9PM-3.30AM
WHERE--Meet up is on 4th St between Roosevelt & Garfield
WHAT--FREE trolley busses between participating bars (1130 The Restaurant, Bar Smith, Bentley's Night Club , Carly's, Coach and WIllie's, District American Kitchen & WIne Bar, Hooters, Kincaid's Fish, Chop and Steak House, Majerle's Sports Grill, Seamus McCaffrey's Irish Pub, Sonoma Casual Dining, Steve's Greenhouse Grill, Stoudemire's Downtown, TGI Friday's Front, Row + Turf.

FUN FUN FUN FUN! :]

*Also, Hotel San Carlos is offering discounted rates for the night for participants (use promotional rate code "DPUB" when booking online or on the phone).
**Wrist bands cost $15 dollars the day of the event but you can save a few bucks by booking in advance here.

I'll see you there!

Prost!
-D. Lux

BREW REVIEW - Rogue Dry-Hopped St. Rouge Red Ale

2009-11-08T20:44:00.000-08:00

Saying that you 'tried a great craft beer from Oregon' is a little like saying you 'talked to a beautiful Swedish girl from Stockholm'. Impressive? Yup. Do I wanna hear more? Hell yeah!
But am I surprised? NOT AT ALL (there are just so many of them!)

Rogue Brewery, based in Newport, is no exception to the Oregon's reputation. They make a ton of different styles and I've yet to try one that wasn't clean, well-made, flavorful. Today, I drank the Dry-hopped, St. Rogue Red Ale. Red beer is not one of my favorite style so Rogue had it's it's work cut out for itself--it was really going to have to win me over.

I'm happy to report, they succeeded!

When I poured the beer it showed a beautiful bright copper-red color and released an army of tiny bubbles. The effervescence was intense but short-lived (by the time I finished pouring the 12 ounces all but a few consolatory orbs had dissipated). The CO2 put on a vanishing act, but the thick, creamy, head stuck around all day like an aimless cloud on a still summer day.

From a flavor standpoint the first two things I noticed were fresh cherries and roasted almonds. The bitter dry hops were also apparent on the nose and even more so on the palate. After a few sips I started to pick up on some rich caramel notes, and the roasted malts started to come through.

Over-all I'm very happy with this ale. The flavors are distinct, well balanced, and interesting. To make things better, it was inexpensive (Total wines offered individual 12 oz bottles for $2.49, and 22 oz'ers for $4.50).

By the numbers, I give it an average score of 7/10 [Flavor 7/10, Balance 7/10, Complexity 7/10].

So, 21/30-Not bad!

-Prost!
D.Lux

BREW REVIEW - Left Coast Brewing Company Torrey Pines IPA

2009-11-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

As a golfer, the first thing I think of when I hear 'Torrey Pines' is Tiger Woods winning the 2008 US Open at the beautiful Torrey Pines Golf Course in Southern Californian...
Off topic yes, but geographically speaking, not far off at all. The Left Coast Brewing Company is based in San Diego, CA and their beers are mostly distributed throughout SoCal and Central Arizona (sorry East coast readers). They are a fairly small brewery and only produce six year-round styles. I have never tried any of their brews so I decided to start with their India Pale Ale. I decided this for two simple reasons; first, IPA's are one of my favorite styles of beer, and second, I believe that IPA's are a good litmus test for the overall quality of a small breweries product. If I try an IPA from a small producer and it's sub-par, I can probably skip the rest of their beer without missing anything Earth-rattling.

So, what did I learn about Left Coast Brewing Company when I cracked open their IPA? Let's get right to it with another installment of the BREW REVIEW!

A Bitter Sevilla Orange aroma was evident the moment I opened the bottle and as I poured the beer into my glass, the aroma magnified ten-fold. The beer had a bright yellow-orange color, great clarity, and an excellent effervescent quality. At first pour it looked like I was in for quite a treat! Unfortunately, once I got beyond the aroma and took my first sip, the only part of the Sevilla Orange that came through was the bitter orange peel. I was a little disappointed.

Not one to give up easily, I took a few more sips and was pleased to find that after the beer had some time to breathe, many secondary flavors, much more subtle than the bitter orange, slowly started to come through. There were pine nuts, hints of white pepper, and even a strange mix of melons and sour fruits that rounded out the intense bitter taste of orange peel. I continued my investigated and was further pleased to discover that as the intense carbonation gradually dissipated, as that happened, the intense bitter characteristics seemed to mellow substantially.

Alan St Louis, always willing to lend a hand in emptying a bottle of craft beer, allows me to fill his glass and after a few thoughtful sips suggests that: "with an aftertaste the length of California, and the width of India, this is one California IPA I won't soon forget."

Well put Alan, well put.

By the numbers, I give it a 5/10 [Flavor 5/10, Balance 4/10, Complexity 6/10].

-Prost!
D.Lux

Keep in Touch! :D

2009-10-30T21:15:00.000-07:00

There are two new ways to keep up to date on the best beers, bars, and beer drinking events in the Metro-Phoenix area!

Add the B.D.T. to your Twitter and G-mail!

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BrewDorkTimes

Email: BrewDorkTimes@gmail.com

-Prost!
D.Lux

BREW REVIEW - Deschutes Brewery Hop Trip

2009-10-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

Deschutes Brewery, based in Bend, Oregon, has been producing craft beers for over two decades. It's a fun brewery with a 'try-anything' attitude that produces a wide variety of unique and interesting beers. They make seven year-round varieties, four seasonal ales, four age-worthy beers in a 'Reserve' series, and three more beers in what they call the 'Bond Street Series' (after the street on which the brewery resides).
Today I'm reviewing their Hop Trip which is part of the Bond-Street-trio. Before I jump into my BREW REVIEW though, I want to take a minute to explain why I selected this beer.
First, it should be know that Deschutes Brewery has a reputation for making hop-heavy beer. This tidbit alone is enough reason for me to pick one of their beers as I'm a bit of a closet hop-a-phile, but it's actually the unique production method that specifically drew me to Hop Trail. Allow me to explain.
A few years back the guys at Deschutes Brewery, a somewhat flamboyant hop-a-phile group, decided they wanted to make a beer that captured the natural flavors of hops 'fresh off the vine'. Most breweries make a beer hoppie by adding more dried hops, or hop-pellets. Deschutes wanted to brew a beer that would capture the fresh, green qualities of the hops. You see, the Deschutes crew were well aware that the essential oils in hops are most prominent when the hops are freshest meaning that as soon as they're cut from the field, the oils begin a gradual decline. This in mind, they set out to make a beer with Hops that spent the least amount of time possible from harvest to production. The least amount of time possible as it turns out is about three and a half hours, and that's exactly how long the Crystal Hops used for the production of Hop Trail spend between harvest and the kettle. The result they hoped would be a light, fresh, clean ale, with huge hop-flavor.
So, with all of that said, here is my BREW REVIEW
Wow, Fabulous. That's all I have to say...
Simple review? Good! It's a simple beer. It's like a good cut of steak, slow cooked over an open flame. No marinades, no seasonings, no steak sauce, just good, simple, basic ingredients, prepared with care, and easy to enjoy.
I wish the Hop Trail was the 'American Standard' instead of B*dw**z*r or M*ll*r. I think if that were the case, the rest of the world would have much greater respect for America as a beer producing nation.
If I were to compare The Hop Trip to a wine I'd say it's like a quality Beaujolais: fresh, fruity, honest, and uncomplicated. It's a celebration of hard work, and of the fall harvest, It can be enjoyed with just about any type of meal, or just by itself. By the numbers, I give it a 7/10 [Flavor 8/10, Balance 8/10, Complexity 6/10].

Oh, and did I mention it's only available through December? GO GET SOME!

-Prost!
D.Lux

P.S. Back in '06 FFEfilms followed the Deschutes crew around and captured the experience, the result was this pretty cool short film-Check it out!

BREW REVIEW - Dogfish Head Pumpkin Ale

2009-10-26T19:59:00.000-07:00

'Tis' the season for Pumpkin Ale!'

Dogfish Head is one of my favorite craft breweries. They produce unparalleled IPA's and a wide variety of other beers, each a unique twist on a traditional style and each indefatigably* delicious!

But today I'm not drinking any of their versions of traditional styles. Today, I’m drinking their Pumpkin Ale! And why not? Halloween is less than a week away, and when the holiday is done and gone the Pumpkin Ale will be quick to follow. So without further ado, lets get right to the fun part, the BREW REVIEW!

As soon as I cracked open the bottle a flood of aroma poured out of the glass. The intensity of the flavor was stunning, I literally had to look around to verify that I hadn't been teleported to my mothers kitchen by a strange external force. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramelized brown sugar seized my nostrils and set up camp. The beer was much lighter in color than I had expected, more of a yellow/copper than the expected golden brown, and had a beautiful bright clarity (there were no chunks of pumpkin pie crust as I'd secretly hoped).

When I finished pouring the beer I brought the glass close to my face and took in a long, unabashed sniff. Instantly I was filled with warm feelings as my mind raced over memories of holidays and time spent with family. I closed my eyes, held the glass still closer, and selfishly indulged in a second, and then a third long, deep, inhalation. Each draw revealed something different, a memory of dropping a pie (face down) when I was a touch too young to be 'helping' in the kitchen. I picked up a whiff of sweet cream and remembered the feeling of being cold and toasty warm at the same time. I remembered the utter satisfaction of a delicious dessert at the end of a great meal...

After a few more slow pulls I was finally ready to take my first sip. The beer felt much lighter on my tongue that I expected--the weight of two percent, when I was expecting whole milk--and the flavor, surprisingly, didn't parallel the aroma in intensity. After a second sip I made the perplexing and somewhat disappointing observation that the beer was almost a bit watery. Like many of the Dogfish Head beers the alcohol level is fairly high, at 7%, and that did give the beer some structure, but with as high as my expectations were, the flavor concentration was definitely let down. That said, I don't think it's a bad beer--quite the opposite--but I do think that it is a beer that leaves something to be desired. I have no doubt that next year the team at DH will roll out something great, but as for this year, I think the missed the mark. By the numbers I give it a 5 out of 10 [flavor 4/10, Balance 5/10, Complexity 6/10].

-Prost!
D.Lux

*I went back in forth quite a bit on what adverb to use here. The goal was to use a word that would both firmly emphasize the goodness of the beer, and not make me sound like a tool. I settled on 'indefatigably' which I think fails to satisfy either of the two criteria, but after saying it a few times I remembered what a cool word it was, and decided, what the heck-it stays!

BREW REVIEW - Left Hand Brewing Company Milk Stout

2009-10-23T12:44:00.000-07:00

As the temps outside continue to fall--a bit of a stretch to say this about central Arizona, but nonetheless it is getting ‘less hot’ these days--I get less excited about the prospects of an ice cold Pilsners and more in the mood for heartier beers. So, last night at the suggestion of a coworker, I tried Left Hand Brewing Company’s Milk Stout.
Like all stouts the LH Brewing company’s Milk Stout is incredibly dark--it looks like they roasted their malts for a month! The beer has great clarity, a beautiful rich tan head, and it absolutely bursts with aroma. As soon as I started pouring the beer rich fragrances of toffee, roasted nuts, and fresh ground coffee beans filled my nose. When I sipped the beer those flavors were joined by flavors of sweet cream, cocoa, toasted almonds, and a hearty, earthy flavor that I never quite pegged down but was similar to toasted oats. The mouth-feel was thick but not too heavy (a touch more thin than whole milk) and the beer was never too bitter as a result of Left Hand's addition of milk sugar during the brewing process. What didn't I like about drinking this beer? Well, the finish was a little lackluster, and I didn't have a double chocolate volcano brownie to eat with it, but that's just about it.

By the numbers I give this beer a solid 7/10 [Flavor 8/10, Balance 7/10 Complexity 6/10]. Thanks for the great beer recommendation Daisy!

If you know a beer that you think I should try, leave it as a comment to this post--if I can get my hands on it--I’ll drink it!

-Prost!
D.Lux

BREW REVIEW - Stone 13th Anniversary Imperial Double Red Ale

2009-10-20T22:21:00.000-07:00

It's time for another BREW-REVIEW

On an accidental visit to A Taste of Tops Tuesday night (yes, it's possible to 'accidentally' visit a bar) I got the chance to try Stone Brewery's 13th Anniversary Imperial/Double Red Ale (quite a mouthful!). With loads of craft beers on tap TOT makes it very difficult for a beer lover to sit down and enjoy ‘just one’. However time was limited so I enlisted the help of a pro in picking my libation. Capri, Top’s bartender and perpetual smiler, suggested that if I were to have just one, it should be her current favorite, the Stone Brewery13th Anni. I obliged.

The first thing that struck me was how dark the beer was. It was somewhere between a deep shade of wet brick and the color of dried blood (not thirsty yet?--stay with me!). The color of the head was fantastic. It was a beautiful burnt tan color that reminded me of making S’mores as a kid (I was very patient as a child and--as I do today--understood the value of the finer things. I’d spend a full hour, if necessary, tending my marshmallow, rotating it, moving it from hotter to colder parts of the campfire, just to insure that my ‘mallow was cooked to the perfect level of toasty-ness necessary to create a proper S’more).

The two flavors that came through most predominately when I sipped the beer were vanilla, and cherry. Upon second sip the cherries persisted, but richer, heartier flavors of dried spices and toffee also made an appearance. The flavor experience culminated with a pleasant sour finish on the end.

So, how do I rate it? Well, I have to say, the Stone’s 13^th-Anni is a whole lot of beer. It has mucho hops, mucho alcohol, and MUCHISIMO flavor! It’s complex and balanced (I love it when brewers do that!) and although the alcohol is high, with the amount of flavor they packed into the recipe, that didn’t take away from the overall experience. By the numbers I give it a 7 out of 10. [Flavor 7/10, Balance 8/10 Complexity 6/10].

Oh, and I almost forgot, what did Capri have to say about her favorite beer? “It’s my favorite thing to black out on”. I think I’ll take her drink recommendation anytime!

-Prost!

D.Lux

PS I will be doing a BAR REVIEW of Taste of Tops soon-STAY TUNED!

BREW REVIEW - Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Extra IPA

2009-10-20T22:12:00.000-07:00

I first discovered Lagunitas back in 2006. At the time I was tending bar at Frasca in Chicago. Although predominantely a wine bar, Frasca has a decent beer list and maintained three taps with rotating beers. Our chef, Robert Kabakoff, was a California transplant and a huge fan of the Lagunitas Brewery. As a result, Lagunitas’ India Pale Ale had a semi-permanent home on the ‘far left tap’. I found it to be a wonderful little beer and was pleasantly surprised by how much a mere 16 ounces could increase the enjoyment of my end of night clean up duties. When I saw that the Lagunitas Brewery released a limited edition IPA called ‘Little Sumpin’ Extra IPA’ I couldn't resist giving it a try!

So, how does it taste?

Well, my roommate and fellow beer aficionado Alan (he mostly drinks Budweiser but please don’t hold it against him; he’s from St Louis) opines that: “it has an intelligent, almost smoky taste; I like it!”

Me? Well I think it’s a pretty good beer too. It has a wonderful golden honey color and a high acidity that makes the mouth salivate almost instantly. It’s extremely effervescent, and its strong citric flavors are caped off by a pleasantly bitter, hop-heavy, finish. The alcohol level is a little high (8.4% ABV) and becomes apparent on the finish. While the Little Sumpin' extra has far too much flavor and pizzazz to be categorized as a ‘lawnmower beer’ it’s definitely a brew that would be best enjoyed while playing Cornhole (or just sitting in a lawn chair) on a hot summer day--think, hanging out on a rooftop with good friends mid-July, drinking this beer and chowin’ down on mahi mahi tacos, with a creamy chipolte-mayo … (ahh…[more salivating]).

So, all in all it’s a good beer, with a great backbone, and a nice crisp flavor. The only thing I don’t like it is that it has a tad too much heat. By the numbers I give it a 6 out of 10. [Flavor: 7/10, Balance: 5/10, Complexity: 6/10].

Prost!
-D.Lux

BREW REVIEW - Ommegang Abbey Ale

2009-10-18T16:37:00.000-07:00

I’m gong to go ahead and make a bold statement: Every single red-blooded American should know about Cooperstown, New York. This is because Cooperstown, New York it is home to a truly great American establishment.
No, I’m not referring to Cooperstown’s Farmers’ Museum, or to the wonderful Fenimore Art Museum. I’m not even referring to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
The reason that I so firmly believe that every red-blooded American should know Cooperstown is that it is the home of the wonderful Ommegang Brewery!

The Ommegang Brewery has been making great beers for over a decade with a quality over quantity attitude. They make their beer in the traditional styles of Belgium Trappist Monks and they repeatedly deliver with all five of their standard styles, as well as their five seasonal brews. Now, I don’t plan on making a habit of reviewing beers that I commonly drink, or of picking personal ‘favorites’ for my BREW REVIEWs, but as my blog has just gotten off the ground, I decided to treat myself to an American oldie-but-goodie.

So, without further ado, here is my BREW REVIEW of Ommegang’s signature Beer, Ommegang Abbey Ale:

Complexity and balance are two of the most important characteristics that I look for when judging the overall quality of a beer (or wine or food for that matter), and Ommegang’s signature ale excels in both categories. Much like traditional Belgium beers the alcohol level is substantially higher that the American norm (approx 8.5%ABV) but the heat and flavor of the alcohol never come through on the palate.
The color is a beautiful rich, dark crimson and the beer appears almost opaque. It has great clearity, free of yeast and other sediments, and has a creamy tan head.
The first flavors that come to mind when I take a sip are that of pear, Macintosh apple, and quince. After these bold flavors subdue some of the richer complexities start to emerge. The barley and malt flavors are ample and lead into more rustic (hearty) flavors like dried fruit, spice, and chocolate. One of my favorite things about this beer is that each sip seems to reveal something new, different, and interesting. Now I remember why I like this beer so much!

So, by the numbers, I give this beer a solid 8 out of 10. It's and excellent beer, and at at under 8 dollars for a fifth, it's a great value! [Flavor: 8/10, Balance: 8/10, Complexity: 8/10].

Prost!
-D.Lux

BREW REVIEW - Samuel Adams - Octoberfest Seasonal

2009-10-15T22:20:00.000-07:00

Ahh, Oktoberfest.... it feels like just yesterday I was in Munich partying in 'tents' that looked more like elaborately decorated airplane hangers, singing along enthusiastically to old Bavarian chants that I didn't know any words to, standing on tables and dancing with best friends (whom I'd met hours earlier) and drinking some of the best beers my taste buds have ever enjoyed... It feels like it was just yesterday, but it was actually almost three weeks ago...

I am states bound again, and Oktoberfest 2010 feels like an eternity away, so before they disappear from the shelves completely for 10 months, I'd like to take a minute to write a BREW REVIEW of Uncle Sam's er... Sam Adams' take on the annual German beer holiday.

So without further ado, here is my review of the 2009 Samuel Adams Octoberfest Seasonal beer.

According to the label SA Octoberfest is: "brewed with five varieties of malted barley for a deep amber color and a bigger richer flavor" and at first pour I have to admit it's a pretty sexy beer.

Upon tasting the beer the first thing that I notice is a creamy, moderately-thick mouth-feel. It's not overly hoppie, or overly malty. It's very well balanced and much to my surprise has a very sweet aroma that reminds me of honeydew melons with a floral fragrance coming through on the end. Although it's rich in color with a fairly thick mouth-feel, it doesn't feel heavy on the tongue and it finishes quite clean with a burst of flavor on it's way down the gullet.

I'm happy with it. I'm not wow'ed, but overall, I think the folks at Samual Adams did a pretty good job! I give it 4 out of 5 beer bottles!...or ... a B+!.... or an 87%!...
Hmmmmm.... This would probably be a good time to decide how I'm going to rate my BREW REVIEWs ha.. ok, so the blog is a work in progress, but hey, there's plenty of time to work out the details :)

One final question I asked myself when considering the quality of this beer was, how does it compare to the beer served at Oktoberfest in Munich? Well, it's substantially darker than the majority of the beer I drank in Munich-I primarily stuck to the lighter options (hey when you're ordering beer by-the-liter you need to take such precautions if you want to last a respectable amount of time before passing out!). However, the flavors of fall were clearly present. The quality was high. The beer was clean, balanced, and it was pretty damn tasty! I approve, and I'd like to think that the Germans would to!

Prost!
D.Lux

PS. All this drinking, and thinking about Oktoberfest is making me feel nostalgic of my days at the big event... I think a retro-active 'BREW REVIEW: Oktoberfest-Munich' is in store... COMING SOON!

Welcome!

2009-10-15T09:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Brew Dork Times!

The BDT is a fun, informative, beer blog based in Tempe, Arizona. We publish three times weekly with reviews of beer, bars & restaurants, and local beer events.

Why is the Brew Dork Times based in Tempe, Az? Well, it's where I live!
More importantly the Phoenix-Metro-Area is home to a huge number of great beer-bars, restaurants and breweries.

I have always been passionate about great beer, good food, and fun times spent with friends and this blog is my opportunity to share that passion with you--I couldn't be more excited!

So come along, and join me, as I explore the best the valley has to offer beer by beer!

Prost!

-D.Lux

We have so much fun together, how come you never contact me?

2009-10-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

Email questions, comments, and suggestions to BrewDorkTimes@gmail.com

You can also find me on Twitter at Twitter.com/BrewDorkTimes

and on Facebook at Facebook.com/Brewdorktimes

-Prost!
D.Lux