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?

Brewing News!

A very generous friend that I work with me donated some more equipment to my brewing efforts. I now am in possession of 1 more primary fermenter, two glass secondary fermenters, a custom built sparge bucket, a few more airlocks and a whole bunch of old homebrewing magazines and recipes. Looking forward to digging into all the stuff and I guess I really don't have any excuse to get into a habit of brewing a few times a month!

Review: Dogfish Head Black and Blue

I have started clearing out the cellaring fridge. I decided it was time to drink some of the few cases of beer I have sitting around instead of buying more! Anyway, I think I picked this bottle up last spring during my trip to Delaware. This ale is dubbed as a raspberry and blueberry packed brew. It pours very dark with a hint of red to the color. The you can smell the berries as soon as you open the bottle. I guess that is where the first problem arose for me about this beer. I know some people look down there noses at "fruit" beers but there are some I tend to like. One of the best I ever had was a blueberry brew from Sea Dog brewing in Maine. Upon my first sip of the Black and Blue I came away pretty disappointed. There was a hint of the fruit flavor but most overwhelming was the alcohol kick on the tail end. I guess I thought there was going to be a much bigger fruit taste to this brew and I was not ready for the burn at the end. Maybe this one is best sampled when it is fresh. I'll give it 1.5 out of 5.

Happy Drinking!

Where is the Beer Snob?

I'm here. I know it has been a bit since I posted but life got in the way for a bit. Still getting used to work and taking care of the kids. I promise to have a few good reviews this week as well as a brewing update so stay tuned!