Homebrew Update!

Been reading up on homebrewing recently and looking forward to trying out a few of my own recipe ideas. Latest batch of the HopNog turned out ok. I messed up the carbonation. I plan on modifying one of my kegs for cask conditioning, going to shorted up the pick up tube just a bit in order not to pick up the spent yeast. Also plan on using Irish Moss and Isinglass with the next brew, see if those help clear up the beer a bit. Regardless, the HopNog was still a sucess at the Georgia Tech v. UNC football tailgate. Me and two buddies plowed through almost half the keg in the 2 and half hours of the tailgate. Had the rain not showed up and put a stop to our post game tailgate I am pretty sure the keg would have been floated. My cooler set up worked quite nice, beer stayed nice and cold (I'll post some pictures after the next home game). We did get a few comments on the keg set up. One lady stopped and asked my wife "What is that thing?". "A Keg", Kelly replied, "A Keg? You mean of Beer?" the lady responded. "Yep" Kelly told her, "My Husband makes his own beer". "You can do that?" the clueless one then said. Wow.....

I have narrowed the next brew down to a few styles. Planning on having it ready for the Georgia Tech v. Virginia Tech football game, it happens to be homecoming so hoping to make a good one for all my old college buddies to try out. I am thinking either an English Bitter or a California Common. Regardless it is going to be called "Hokie Stomp Ale" or "Bitter Hokie Ale" or something along those lines. I think it is going to come down to what my local homebrew shop has in stock this Friday when I swing by.

I'll keep everyone updated on the brewing progress.

Return of the Beer Snob: Review Blowout!

Here we go, my Beer Review Blowout. Just a sampling of the notable beers that I have tasted over the last two months. Still have a bunch left over from my west coast haul that I need to officially review.

New Belgian 1554 Enlightened Black Ale:


Sweet aroma, smells of cherries, chocolate and maybe a hint of currant.
Pour a nice dark amber color, slightly cream colored head, sticky with good retention.
Sweet and malty, you can really taste and feel the carbonation. Semi-sweet chocolate notes with a hint of a hops towards the end. Too much carbonation? Seems to overpower the beer when you first sip it and that leaves the rest feeling pretty flat. I don't know, just something seems a bit off in the balance of this beer. Not bad but nothing I will seek out in the future.
2.5 pints out of 5

Hopworks Urban Brewery Organic IPA:



Aroma: Sweet, notes of tangerine and a bit of pine.
Color: Slightly cloudy orange gold. Nice big head and very sticky with nice lacing. Really grabs the glass.
Taste: Orange right up front the the hop bitterness hits. Hops are very nice, hang around in your mouth for quite a while after you finish your sip. Good piny note at the finish. Fruit taste at start may be a tad too much, no real malt flavor to cut the fruitiness. A nice IPA but tastes a tad too much like a hoppy fruit beer to me.
3.5 pints out of 5.

Rogue Yellow Snow IPA:



Nice smooth start with a perfect hop finish. Pours bright clear yellow gold (guess what it looks like....) Very stick head. Could not pick up too much of the aroma as my nose was stuffed up. Subtle malt flavors give way to wonderful floral hoppy bitterness. Absolutely wonderful. When the brew warms a bit the fruityness in the middle of the taste really comes out and ads to the overall taste of the beer. Best Rogue brew I've had. Not a big fan of Dead Guy Ale, I do like the Old Crustacian Barley Wine. Really sad that this is yet another amazing West Coast IPA that I can't get in Georgia.
4.5 out of 5 Pints

Terrapin Side Project #6 90 Shelling Scotch Ale:



Ok, here goes another Terrapin Side Project review (loyal readers will know I have a love/hate relationship with Spike's experimental brews).
The 90 Shelling pours a nice dark reddish brown. Large persistent head, very fluffy. Sweet and bready aroma. Very nice sweet malt flavor up front with some nice spicyness mixed in. Full body and a bit chewy, both what I would expect from a big Scotch Ale. Smooth drinking, perfect carbonation for the style, not too much but just enough to help the aroma. A very nice interpreation of a Wee Heavy style Scottish Ale (One of my favorite styles that is rarely brewed well). Well done, add this one to my love list from Terrapin.
3.4 out of 5 pints.

Terrapin Side Project #7 Maggie's Farmhouse Ale:



Another Side Project? Yes, I am that backed up in reviews (Side Project #8 is already out and I plan on picking some up this weekend).
Pours and looks a bit like a Belgian White Ale. Fruity and Light in smell. A definante Belgian influence. Spicy and smooth, maybe a hint of cinnamon or coriander? Light malt notes, no hops hanging around this brew. A very nice white belgian style beer.
3.5 out of 5 pints

Looks like Terrapin is starting to hit on all cylinders with the Side Projects. I think the first few they where just trying too hard and trying to mix too many different things. Looking forward to the #8 Pumpkinfest.

Ninkasi Brewing Company Tricerahops Double IPA:



Mildly fruity, some nuttiness in the aroma, can't quite nail it down. You can smell the hops right off the bat, like standing in a pine forest. Bitter hops all over the place! Is there anything else in this Hopbomb? Orange/copper colored. Sticky lacing in the head. Starts with a hint of malt and then the hops shoves it right out of the way. Good little floral note, arpicot? Not overwhelming, cuts the bitterness just enough. Alcohol content is well hidden in this smooth drinking Double IPA (8.8% ABV). Another awesome west coast brew that I feel honored to have been able to try.
4 out of 5 Pints.


There you have it, possibly the longest post I've ever done. Don't worry folks, more to come!

Hello? Is this thing on?

Sorry about the month plus long hiatus. Life has been a bit hectic, between the twins, work, football season, and a bunch of other stuff you faithful Atlanta Beer Snob just has not had much time to write. Now, that does not mean I have not been drinking my favorite libation. Have had a few good beers and a few bad in the last few weeks, reviews will be up this week.

Why the sudden spare time? Well I am in Manhattan Kansas for the week on a work related project and have some spare time. Manhattan is home to a recommended brew pub (Little Apple) that I plan to haunt tonight. Looking forward to sampling a few of there brews.

West Coast Brews...

My in-laws just got back from a cross country road trip. Along the way they stopped and picked me up a few choice west coast beers that are unavailable here in the deep south. I'll be reviewing them here in the next week or two. Already gave two Deschutes Brewery beers a go. Their standard IPA, Inversion and the new seasonal IPA Red Chair IPA. So keep an eye out for a few updates in the next few days about so new brews.

Happy Drinking.

Where is the Beer Snob: Part Deux

Well to tell the truth the Beer Snob has not been drinking too much lately. Not much new beer has crossed my lips in the last few weeks and the fermenters sit abandoned and dusty in the basement, waiting to receive there next batch of wort goodness. I am reading a few homebrew books and do plan on firing up the cooker sometime after my beach trip next week. I'll get the HopNog IPA ready for the first football game. I am really looking forward to my first all grain brew, I'm shooting for sometime in September to do it. I found a nice double ipa recipe that I want to give a shoot. The Irish Stout kit may have to wait until the late fall.

On the beer sampling front, I am continuing to make my way through my beer reserves before buying any thing new. I am down to a 6er of Hopslam, a Guinness 250 or 3, four North Coast '08 Old Stock Ales (pretty sure one or two of these is going to stay in the cellar), 1 Dogfish Head Barleywine, a few Terrapin Side Projects (Roggen, Monks Rervenge and a 90 Shilling) and an Allagash Creuax. After that it comes down to finishing the 2/3 of a torpedo keg of Monk's Revenge I have left and the 12 or so old homebrew bottles. Wish me luck!

Happy Drinking!

Drinking for a good Cause

I was contacted by Taco Mac about a nice opportunity to help out a good cause while enjoying a nice brew. Terrapin Brewing is going to be releasing a double white ale, "Reunion '09". The release will be July 24th at all Taco Mac locations. Profits generated by the beer will be donated to The Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research (www.imbcr.org.). It is a great cause so head out to the Mac on the 24th and order up a brew to help with Cancer research. Official Release is below....



Taco Mac locations will offer a Terrapin Brewing-produced commemorative Double White Ale in support of the 2009 Beer of Hope Campaign.


ATLANTA (July 9, 2009) –A shared interest in promoting American craft breweries and a desire to give back led Atlanta-based Taco Mac to join forces with Seattle-based SBS Imports to promote this year’s Beer of Hope offering. Reunion ’09, a double white ale produced by Athens, Georgia’s Terrapin Brewery, will be available on draft at all Georgia Taco Mac locations beginning July 24.

The Reunion: A Beer for Hope fundraising campaign is in its third year. Profits generated by the sale of Reunion ’09 ale will be donated by SBS to The Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research (www.imbcr.org.). Customers who wish to make individual gifts to the institute will find information on how to do so in all Taco Mac locations.



The partnership between Taco Mac, SBS Imports and Terrapin Brewery was a natural fit, said Fred Crudder, Taco Mac’s beverage director. “Taco Mac is known as the place for Georgia’s specialty beer lovers, and Alan Shapiro, founder of SBS, is considered a pioneer of the craft beer movement,” Crudder says. “Spike Bukowski, brewmaster for Terrapin Brewing Company, has a reputation for being a mad scientist of brewing—very creative, very innovative.”



The limited edition Reunion ’09 ale promises to be as refreshing as Bukowski’s approach to brewing. The Belgian-style double white ale’s flavor pairs a hint of spiciness with citrus notes delivered via dried orange peels used in the brewing process. “It will go well with almost any dish,” said Crudder, whose personal recommendations include Taco Mac’s Bistro Salad or Monterey Chicken Salad.



About Reunion Beer

Reunion is a beer for hope. Conceived by old friends and colleagues, Pete Slosberg, Alan Shapiro, and Virginia MacLean, Reunion celebrates the life and cause of those suffering from Multiple Myeloma, an aggressive cancer effecting bone marrow. The proceeds go to support the work of Dr. Jim Berenson at the Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research (IMBCR). For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.reunionbeer.com.

The Atlanta Beer Snobs Top Ten Breweries

Had a good heated discussion during my Thursday Night Drinking club. Everyone ranked there top 5 breweries. I decided to expand my list to a top ten, here you go...

1. Bear Republic Brewing
2. Stone Brewing
3. Dogfishhead
4. Bells Brewery
5. Victory
6. Ommegang
7. Allagash
8. Sweetwater
9. Thomas Creek
10. Guinness

There you go. What are yours?